September 1, 2024 • 9 mins
NTMEC Kirsten Kelly chats about the results. Where are the counts at and what happens now.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining me live on the line is the Northern Territory
Electoral Commissioner, Kirsten Kelly.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Good morning to your commissioner.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Good morning, Katy.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Oh, good to hear your voice. Sorry about the tech
issue and sorry we're now running late. Now, Commissioner, where
are things ash with.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
The counts at this stage?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
So we're in the second week of our thirteen day
count period, So today we'll be looking and starting to
admit declaration votes which have been deemed as accepted in
the count. So they're votes where someone's attended a voting
center and they can't be found on the role and
believe they have an entitlement to vote. And for the
last week the Australian Electoral Commission has been confirming the
(00:41):
eligibility entitlement to be enrolled and the NTECH has then
been looking at the entitlement for that vote to be admitted.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, right, are there many people that fall into that category.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
So we're looking at about so we had just under
two thousand declaration votes cast at this election. In twenty
twenty it was about twenty two hundred, so we're looking
at around about twelve hundred or more being admitted to
the count in the next two days, all.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Right, So it is quite a large, large sort of number.
And that's across the board, is it.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
That's across all divisions?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Yeah, Now, in terms of, you know, the way in
which this week is kind of going to work with
the outstanding postal votes and those declaration votes, what's the
process for the remainder of the week.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
So the next two days will be focused on counting
in the declaration votes and then as we move closer
to the end of the week, on Friday, at twelve
noon is the deadline for a receipt of postal vote.
So there's about seventeen hundred postal votes that are still
outstanding and maybe returned and may be admitted to the count,
and that will happen after twelve o'clock on Friday.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
What's the like what's the likelihood of all of those
coming back or how many do you usually kind of
get back with some of those numbers?
Speaker 3 (01:53):
So last writa, we're just over one hundred, So it
can be one hundred a day, or it'll tend to
probably to line as we get closer to the Friday,
but they're still they still come in.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Okay, So still got a few coming in but the
percentage of postal votes being returned, like is it quite
high on previous elections.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
So we've had less postal votes applied for this election,
and we've had five three hundred admitted to the count
so far. So we've had about a thousand people who
applied for postal vote but then went in voted at
a voting center, so they won't be returned. And that's
totally okay they because if we have electronic markof we
(02:32):
can see that and so that postal vote won't have
any effect.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yeah. Right, I had been told and please correct me
if I'm wrong, but I had been told out in
Daily there was about one hundred postal votes but people
had already been in and voted.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Do you know if that was the case.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, So that does happen, and it happens all across divisions.
And we certainly as we get closer to the election
day and people can still apply for postal application up
until two days before election day and the probability of
reaching them through the postal services low, So we certainly
message to people if you are at a voting center,
we can make it to a voting senate to go
(03:09):
there once you've gone and had your name marked off,
even if you did return that postal vote, and the
majority of people don't return them because they know they've
already voted, that would not be admitted and it would
be rejected. So yeah, right, it's not uncommon.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
So it's not people trying to do something dodgy out there.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
No, we've got processes in place to make sure that
there's no multi voting and as soon as someone's name
is marked off the role that postal vote is closed out.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Was it quite a high number though in the daily
electorate or No?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
So in the Daily Elector, I think there was about
fifty the maybe fifty that were applied for and then
had gone to an early voting center. We had early
voting available through mobile teams, but also at Berry Springs
Village as well, and Cooler Linger also received a lot
of voting in person as well.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah, hey, I also and again, you know, please give
us some further detail if you do have any.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
I was told that there was a huge brawl at the.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Nolin Boy polling booth on election day, up to three
hundred people involved, and it had spilled out from the
football preliminary final.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
I'm not aware of that at all. Case heard about
that at all.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, all right, well, we'll see if we can find
out some further detail. We might even contact the police.
But so no report of there being sort of a
big fight at the polling booth on that day or anything.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
No, nothing that's been brought to my attention. And I
would imagine that would have been quite significant if it
had happened. I would have hoped I would have known.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, yeah, no, well, we'll see what we can find out.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Hey, in terms of because it does look as though
there's you know, there's still a couple of seats that
are really pretty close, you know, the likes of Nightcliff.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
And Fanny Bay.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
What's the process for those seats that are still very
close and there's you know, maybe fifty votes or maybe
a little bit more, but but you know, not a
huge number of votes sort of separating your first and
second on the vote tally.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yeah, So we'll get to Friday, and that'll be that
twelve noon close of postal votes deadline for receipts, and
then we will count any outstanding postal votes and add
them to the count. Then after that we will start
the distribution of preference process. So that's where anyone who
has not achieved fifty percent of the first preference count,
we will look to then exclude the candidate with the
(05:24):
lowest number and distribute their preferences until a candidate does
achieve fifty percent of the count.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
And so in Nightcliff and Fanny Bay, are there many
of those postal votes that are still outstanding.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
So in Fanny Bay there's eighty five postal votes still
potentially to be returned, and today there will be about
forty eight declaration votes added to the camp. So there's
a difference at the moment of thirty seven on the
candidate preferred.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Yeah, right, so it could still be fairly tight. What
about Nightcliff.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
So Nightcliff has still got eighty five postal votes to
be returned, yep, or three?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
That's all right, you're fine, Yeah, take your time. Yeah,
and Nightcliff focus five have.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
My apologies to still potentially to be returned.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Eighty five still potentially to be returned for Nightcliff. And
what about in terms of those declaration votes.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
And declaration votes for Nightcliff? Out my all right, my
paperwork in front of.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
The night You're fine, no, no, all good. We like
getting the numbers, so thirty about.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Thirty five, about thirty five years, right, so there is
still quite a few. But I guess on the law
of averages, we may not get all of the the
eighty five in Fanny Bay and Nightcliff. When it comes
to the postal votes, they may not all get back
by Friday, that's correct.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
They may not be returned in time.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Yeah, well look it's going to be very tight. And
so just remind our listeners. I suppose once you've got
all of those all of those votes or all of
those you know, those ballots in is there sort of
do you have to go back and recount everything or
has that recount sort of already been done to some degree.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
So we will go back into a full recount where
the margin is less than one hundred, and that's a
policy position. So in those instances, so for example, Barclay's
currently a difference of ninety and we'll know that as
we get closer to the end of the week where
that margin sits. But we do have a policy that
where there's a difference of less than one hundred or
a hundred or less, we'll go back into a full recount.
(07:31):
Outside of that, we're moving straight into the distribution of preferences.
Once we've counted those postal votes and added them to
the count, then we'll start the distribution process, all.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Right, So one way or another by Monday, is that right,
by Monday, we'll know who has won every seat.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
So we'll be completing a distribution of preferences on Friday,
and then at ten o'clock on Monday will be declaric.
All right.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Well, look, it's I would imagine for some of those
for some of those candidates, it's been a quite a
stressful time for them, but sometimes this happens. Right, Some
of those seats are incredibly close across the Northern Territory,
and that's what you and I had spoken about on
so many occasions. I mean, your vote counts no matter
where you live, but you see just how much your
(08:16):
vote counts in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Absolutely, we've got a small population, we've got small numbers
in divisions, and declining participation means that it's very hard
usually to get the fifty pervent on the first preferences.
I think there's about nine divisions that have less than
fifty percent on first preferences. In five divisions between fifty
and fifty five percent. So every vote does count, and
(08:40):
it is a manual and methodical process counting votes, and
it does take the full thirteen days to examine declaration
envelopes and postal votes and to do the checks and rechecks.
So and it's important that we get it right, and
we certainly will write a report with all of the
data at the end of the process.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yeah, and Kirsten, how long does it take well then
to sort of go through and look at the electoral
role check who hasn't voted and if they don't have
a fair reason why they've not voted, because that voter
turnout not really where we wanted it to be. So
I'm assuming that there will be some fines being sent out.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
So well, certainly we have received over a couple of
thousand of excuses during the process where people have notified
us that they can't participate. And then in the next
couple of weeks and months months will be looking at
the non voter process as well. And yeah, it's important
that people participate, and then we'll be going through that
(09:37):
process and issuing our non voter infringement notices.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Yeah, Well, Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner Kirsten Kelly, I always
appreciate your time. Thank you very much for having a
chat with us on numerous occasions, both in the lead
up to the election and post election.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
We appreciate it anytime
Joining me live on the line is the Northern Territory
Electoral Commissioner, Kirsten Kelly.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Good morning to your commissioner.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Good morning, Katy.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Oh, good to hear your voice. Sorry about the tech
issue and sorry we're now running late. Now, Commissioner, where
are things ash with.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
The counts at this stage?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
So we're in the second week of our thirteen day
count period, So today we'll be looking and starting to
admit declaration votes which have been deemed as accepted in
the count. So they're votes where someone's attended a voting
center and they can't be found on the role and
believe they have an entitlement to vote. And for the
last week the Australian Electoral Commission has been confirming the
(00:41):
eligibility entitlement to be enrolled and the NTECH has then
been looking at the entitlement for that vote to be admitted.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, right, are there many people that fall into that category.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
So we're looking at about so we had just under
two thousand declaration votes cast at this election. In twenty
twenty it was about twenty two hundred, so we're looking
at around about twelve hundred or more being admitted to
the count in the next two days, all.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Right, So it is quite a large, large sort of number.
And that's across the board, is it.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
That's across all divisions?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Yeah, Now, in terms of, you know, the way in
which this week is kind of going to work with
the outstanding postal votes and those declaration votes, what's the
process for the remainder of the week.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
So the next two days will be focused on counting
in the declaration votes and then as we move closer
to the end of the week, on Friday, at twelve
noon is the deadline for a receipt of postal vote.
So there's about seventeen hundred postal votes that are still
outstanding and maybe returned and may be admitted to the count,
and that will happen after twelve o'clock on Friday.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
What's the like what's the likelihood of all of those
coming back or how many do you usually kind of
get back with some of those numbers?
Speaker 3 (01:53):
So last writa, we're just over one hundred, So it
can be one hundred a day, or it'll tend to
probably to line as we get closer to the Friday,
but they're still they still come in.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Okay, So still got a few coming in but the
percentage of postal votes being returned, like is it quite
high on previous elections.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
So we've had less postal votes applied for this election,
and we've had five three hundred admitted to the count
so far. So we've had about a thousand people who
applied for postal vote but then went in voted at
a voting center, so they won't be returned. And that's
totally okay they because if we have electronic markof we
(02:32):
can see that and so that postal vote won't have
any effect.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yeah. Right, I had been told and please correct me
if I'm wrong, but I had been told out in
Daily there was about one hundred postal votes but people
had already been in and voted.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Do you know if that was the case.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, So that does happen, and it happens all across divisions.
And we certainly as we get closer to the election
day and people can still apply for postal application up
until two days before election day and the probability of
reaching them through the postal services low, So we certainly
message to people if you are at a voting center,
we can make it to a voting senate to go
(03:09):
there once you've gone and had your name marked off,
even if you did return that postal vote, and the
majority of people don't return them because they know they've
already voted, that would not be admitted and it would
be rejected. So yeah, right, it's not uncommon.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
So it's not people trying to do something dodgy out there.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
No, we've got processes in place to make sure that
there's no multi voting and as soon as someone's name
is marked off the role that postal vote is closed out.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Was it quite a high number though in the daily
electorate or No?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
So in the Daily Elector, I think there was about
fifty the maybe fifty that were applied for and then
had gone to an early voting center. We had early
voting available through mobile teams, but also at Berry Springs
Village as well, and Cooler Linger also received a lot
of voting in person as well.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah, hey, I also and again, you know, please give
us some further detail if you do have any.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
I was told that there was a huge brawl at the.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Nolin Boy polling booth on election day, up to three
hundred people involved, and it had spilled out from the
football preliminary final.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
I'm not aware of that at all. Case heard about
that at all.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, all right, well, we'll see if we can find
out some further detail. We might even contact the police.
But so no report of there being sort of a
big fight at the polling booth on that day or anything.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
No, nothing that's been brought to my attention. And I
would imagine that would have been quite significant if it
had happened. I would have hoped I would have known.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, yeah, no, well, we'll see what we can find out.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Hey, in terms of because it does look as though
there's you know, there's still a couple of seats that
are really pretty close, you know, the likes of Nightcliff.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
And Fanny Bay.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
What's the process for those seats that are still very
close and there's you know, maybe fifty votes or maybe
a little bit more, but but you know, not a
huge number of votes sort of separating your first and
second on the vote tally.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yeah, So we'll get to Friday, and that'll be that
twelve noon close of postal votes deadline for receipts, and
then we will count any outstanding postal votes and add
them to the count. Then after that we will start
the distribution of preference process. So that's where anyone who
has not achieved fifty percent of the first preference count,
we will look to then exclude the candidate with the
(05:24):
lowest number and distribute their preferences until a candidate does
achieve fifty percent of the count.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
And so in Nightcliff and Fanny Bay, are there many
of those postal votes that are still outstanding.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
So in Fanny Bay there's eighty five postal votes still
potentially to be returned, and today there will be about
forty eight declaration votes added to the camp. So there's
a difference at the moment of thirty seven on the
candidate preferred.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Yeah, right, so it could still be fairly tight. What
about Nightcliff.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
So Nightcliff has still got eighty five postal votes to
be returned, yep, or three?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
That's all right, you're fine, Yeah, take your time. Yeah,
and Nightcliff focus five have.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
My apologies to still potentially to be returned.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Eighty five still potentially to be returned for Nightcliff. And
what about in terms of those declaration votes.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
And declaration votes for Nightcliff? Out my all right, my
paperwork in front of.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
The night You're fine, no, no, all good. We like
getting the numbers, so thirty about.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Thirty five, about thirty five years, right, so there is
still quite a few. But I guess on the law
of averages, we may not get all of the the
eighty five in Fanny Bay and Nightcliff. When it comes
to the postal votes, they may not all get back
by Friday, that's correct.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
They may not be returned in time.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Yeah, well look it's going to be very tight. And
so just remind our listeners. I suppose once you've got
all of those all of those votes or all of
those you know, those ballots in is there sort of
do you have to go back and recount everything or
has that recount sort of already been done to some degree.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
So we will go back into a full recount where
the margin is less than one hundred, and that's a
policy position. So in those instances, so for example, Barclay's
currently a difference of ninety and we'll know that as
we get closer to the end of the week where
that margin sits. But we do have a policy that
where there's a difference of less than one hundred or
a hundred or less, we'll go back into a full recount.
(07:31):
Outside of that, we're moving straight into the distribution of preferences.
Once we've counted those postal votes and added them to
the count, then we'll start the distribution process, all.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Right, So one way or another by Monday, is that right,
by Monday, we'll know who has won every seat.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
So we'll be completing a distribution of preferences on Friday,
and then at ten o'clock on Monday will be declaric.
All right.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Well, look, it's I would imagine for some of those
for some of those candidates, it's been a quite a
stressful time for them, but sometimes this happens. Right, Some
of those seats are incredibly close across the Northern Territory,
and that's what you and I had spoken about on
so many occasions. I mean, your vote counts no matter
where you live, but you see just how much your
(08:16):
vote counts in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Absolutely, we've got a small population, we've got small numbers
in divisions, and declining participation means that it's very hard
usually to get the fifty pervent on the first preferences.
I think there's about nine divisions that have less than
fifty percent on first preferences. In five divisions between fifty
and fifty five percent. So every vote does count, and
(08:40):
it is a manual and methodical process counting votes, and
it does take the full thirteen days to examine declaration
envelopes and postal votes and to do the checks and rechecks.
So and it's important that we get it right, and
we certainly will write a report with all of the
data at the end of the process.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yeah, and Kirsten, how long does it take well then
to sort of go through and look at the electoral
role check who hasn't voted and if they don't have
a fair reason why they've not voted, because that voter
turnout not really where we wanted it to be. So
I'm assuming that there will be some fines being sent out.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
So well, certainly we have received over a couple of
thousand of excuses during the process where people have notified
us that they can't participate. And then in the next
couple of weeks and months months will be looking at
the non voter process as well. And yeah, it's important
that people participate, and then we'll be going through that
(09:37):
process and issuing our non voter infringement notices.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Yeah, Well, Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner Kirsten Kelly, I always
appreciate your time. Thank you very much for having a
chat with us on numerous occasions, both in the lead
up to the election and post election.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
We appreciate it anytime
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