From:
s 47F
To:
s 47F
Cc:
s 47F
Subject:
RE: Apparent contradiction in formality process as presented in ET701 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Date:
Tuesday, 22 August 2023 10:51:39 AM
Attachments:
image003.gif
Good morning s 47F
Thanks for your email.
The training is inline with the ballot paper formality guidelines that state, on a single question
Ref BP, a cross may mean a yes or a no.
To say that a ‘Yes X’ answer means Yes and Yes’ is assuming that in this case the cross means yes,
and we cannot make any assumptions on what the voter means.
We can only follow the guidelines which state we don’t know if this answer is ‘Yes/Yes’ or
‘Yes/No’.
s 22
Kind regards
s 47F
 | Assistant Director
National Training Unit | People Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
s 47F
From: s 47F
 
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2023 9:52 AM
To: s 47F
Subject: Apparent contradiction in formality process as presented in ET701 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Hi there
I’ve just completed the ET701 learning module, and there’s a contradiction. I don’t know if this is
just in the material or in the actual scrutiny process but, on the principle of supporting the
voter’s intentions, I thought I should mention this. 
So, in course ET701, Module 2 Formality Guidelines, the tab for ‘acceptable markings’ says that
“a cross on its own can mean yes or no’ but the tab for ‘Multiple markings’ regards the entry ‘Yes
x’ as a contradiction, ie now the ‘x’ means ‘no’ even though it’s accompanied by a ‘yes’.
These two slides cannot both be right. There’s another place where ‘x’ is regarded as ‘no’ but
this is the clearest hiccough.
Please can you check this and clarify on the training. Or… 
I’ve attached screen shots for ease of finding what I’m talking about.
Kind regards
s 47F

---