South Australian Current Acts South Australian Current Acts92—Interpretation of ballot papers in Legislative Council elections
(1) This section
applies only in relation to a Legislative Council election.
(2) If 1 or more
numbers, that are not disregarded under section 94(4b), are placed in
group voting squares on a ballot paper in relation to groups of candidates
(each group
being a "preferenced group"), the ballot paper is taken to have been marked as
if—
(a) each
candidate in a preferenced group was given a different number starting
from 1; and
(b)
candidates in a preferenced group were numbered consecutively starting with
the candidate whose name on the ballot paper is at the top of the group to the
candidate whose name is at the bottom; and
(c) the
order in which candidates in different preferenced groups are numbered is
worked out by reference to the order in which the groups were numbered on the
ballot paper, starting with the group marked 1; and
(d) when
all the candidates in a preferenced group have been numbered, the candidate
whose name is at the top of the next preferenced group is given the next
consecutive number.
(3) If a voter marks 1
or more group voting squares in accordance with subsection (2) but also
indicates preferences for individual candidates, the following provisions
apply:
(a) if
the indication of preferences for individual candidates would not, if it stood
alone, constitute an informal vote, that indication of preferences will be
taken to be the vote of the voter and any marks in the group voting squares
will be disregarded;
(b) if
the indication of preferences for individual candidates would, if it stood
alone, constitute an informal vote, the voter will be taken to have recorded
their vote by the marking of the group voting square or squares in accordance
with subsection (2) and all other purported indications of preferences
will be disregarded.