This is the simplest case, so it serves as
a useful introduction. Note that:
(1) Each column depicts how the Party-in-the-Heading will allocate preferences if you vote for it “above the line”
E.g. the
Palmer U.P. will first favour its own two candidates, then give 3
rd (& 4
th) place to
Country Liberals; etc.
That is best seen by
sorting the rows accordingly — and we’ll come to that in (6),
ff. But
here they are in ballot-paper order (which has its own uses).
(2) In each of the two territories (unlike the states), there are only 2 senators to be elected, so there is no point in offering more than 2 candidates for each party — which partly explains the comparative simplicity.
[Meanwhile each
state elects
six senators for a
double term — while another six senators continue unopposed, following after their 1
st term, (except in a “Double Dissolution”)]
(3) Party “H” has a split ticket (H1+H2) which enables it here to treat the two main parties (E and F) equally.
Meanwhile Party “C” does the same for E, F,
and K. Other more complex variants are sometimes used.
(4) These tables are a condensed version of data provided by the AEC (Australian Electoral Commission. The idea is (i) to fit the essentials for each state/territory onto a single page; and (ii) make it easy to computer-sort the data in various ways.
(5) Source. That original material can be found on the AEC website (in 2013), by going to:
“http://www.aec.gov.au/election/who-are-the-candidates.htm and then clicking on the relevant link under “Senate Candidates”.
From each of these state pages you are able to access, just above the list of candidates (but under the electorate names)…”
[Their instructions]
(6) overleaf:
CONTENTS (version 8)
1. Northern Territory — also with worked examples 1
2. Australian Capital Territory, (ACT) 5
3. Tasmania 6
4. Western Australia, (WA) — Before the re-run (See the note below) 7
5. South Australia, (SA) 9
6. Queensland, (Qld) 10
7. Victoria 11
8. NSW (part 1) … 12
9. NSW (part 2) 13
10. Some previous election preference-figures 15
11. Ondwelle’s involvement in Social & Biological “unsolvables” 15
(6) Sorting. Some worked examples of re-sorting this NT table appear below, but the essentials are (at least within a “Windows” system):
(a) Copy “read only” material into your own file.
Select the whole table (but
only the table); either using the mouse only,
or by selecting just some substantial
part of the table and then keying:
alt(A,
then C, then
T). Then
(b) Choose “sort”, e.g. via the “Table” menu — which will (if “
header row” is set) produce a panel for you to make your choice between the various parties in the column-headings.
(c) Select the party you are investigating, via the menu at the top left corner of the menu-panel (which has a list of the column-headings) — making sure it is offering a numerical sort — then press “OK”. This should do the sort for you.
(d) Other choices: (which do use the
text-sort setting): ●You can
restore the original
ballot-paper sequence by selecting the 3
rd column — (“Party’s Code”); and
● you can get an
alphabetical list of parties (and separately of any
“ungrouped, UG” non-party independents) by selecting the 2
nd column — (“Party” instead of any individual party name).