Reply #8: Im not convinced...

[shaayecanaan]

why would numbering a sequence of candidates be any more challenging than writing someone\'s name on a paper?

Before the Australian ballot, voters would cut out a ballot from a newspaper or have them prepared for them by local putschers for a particular candidate. Opposing putschers would frequently intercept voters carrying the wrong ballots and beat them up or pressure them into switching their ballot.

The Australian ballot was designed to go hand in hand with compulsory suffrage. Having authorised ballots greatly reduced the likelihood of box stuffing (with unauthorised ballots its easy, just put two pieces of paper in the box instead of one). The compulsory suffrage system greatly reduced the incentive for voter intimidation, because ultimately everyone had to turn up anyway. It also greatly reduced salt seeding (organising it so the polling booths are closest to your constituents and as far away from everyone else\'s), and multiple voting.

It also relieved the pressure on labor organisers to get the vote out, since they all had to turn up anyway. Organisations such as ACORN dont exist in Australia for that very reason.