From:
Kath Gleeson
To:
s 47F
Cc:
Tania Wilson; s 47F
Subject:
RE: Scripts re ticks and crosses [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Date:
Friday, 25 August 2023 4:34:25 PM
Attachments:
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Thanks s 47F I really appreciate the update and the work being done by the team.
Please pass on thanks to them all, too.
Have a nice weekend.
Kath Gleeson | First Assistant Commissioner & National Election Manager
Service Delivery Group
Executive Leadership Team
Australian Electoral Commission
s 47F
From: s 47F
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2023 4:27 PM
To: Kath Gleeson s 47F
Cc: Tania Wilson s 47F
Subject: RE: Scripts re ticks and crosses [SEC=OFFICIAL]
s 22
We have received approximately 500 emails on the “ticks and crosses” issue. Almost all have
been actioned. There are about 9 unread (as at 4pm) and another 40 (approx.) to be followed
up.
It is difficult to estimate the number of phone calls we actioned due to system limitations, but
anecdotally we would estimate it was around 200 calls on this issue.
We have been responding using standard wording developed by media and as present in
ECCA.
A large number of clients have asked for the ballot paper's design to be changed. We have
advised that the design of the ballot paper is set out in the R(MP)A and that this would require
legislative change.
s 22
s 22
s 47F
s 47F
| Director
Operational Services Strategy, Design and Data
Service Design & Foundations Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
s 47F
From: Kath Gleeson s 47F
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2023 8:53 AM
To: s 47F
s 47F
;s 47F
>
Cc: Tania Wilson s 47F
; Cathie Kennedy s 47F
s 47F
Subject: RE: Scripts re ticks and crosses [SEC=OFFICIAL]
s 22
ECCA script (approved by SDFB):
The prescribed method of voting is to write 'yes' or 'no' on a referendum ballot paper. If the
voter's intention is not clear, ballot papers will not be counted as formal. As
ticks alone are
capable of clearly demonstrating a voter's intention, they are counted as formal for 'yes'. As
crosses can mean either 'yes' or 'no', they are not counted as formal.
To this:
The prescribed method of voting is to write 'yes' or 'no' on a referendum ballot paper. If the
voter's intention is not clear, ballot papers will not be counted as formal. As
ticks alone are
capable of clearly demonstrating a voter's intention, they may be counted as formal for 'yes'. As
crosses can mean either 'yes' (for example, on many forms people in Australia use in daily life,
and in some other languages, a cross represents a ‘check mark’ indicating yes) or 'no', they are
not counted as formal.
Many thanks,
Kath Gleeson | First Assistant Commissioner & National Election Manager
Service Delivery Group
Executive Leadership Team
Australian Electoral Commission
s 47F
From: s 47F
s 47F
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2023 8:47 AM
To: Kath Gleeson s 47F
Cc: Tania Wilson s 47F
s 47F
Subject: RE: Scripts re ticks and crosses [SEC=OFFICIAL]
s 22
We review them yesterday as we started to see complaints come in – we were at 10 yesterday
morning and we are sitting somewhere over 200 this morning (approx. 130 still open and will aim to
resolve today) on this issue.
The scripts from both ECCA and media are attached. We use both of these when responding to
enquiries and both are consistent in content.
There is an ad hoc NOC already scheduled to go out this morning to advise on the stand up of the
Service Centre on Monday and in this NOC it also contains a link for staff to access ECCA scripts. The
media script is on the Referendum FAQ section of the AEC website (Referendum 2023 - FAQs
(aec.gov.au)).
s 22
.
Thanks
s 47F
s 47F
| Director
Operational Services Strategy, Design and Data
Service Design & Foundations Branch
Australian Electoral Commission
s 47F
From: Kath Gleeson s 47F
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2023 7:57 AM
To: s 47F
s 47F
Cc: Tania Wilson s 47F
Subject: Scripts re ticks and crosses [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Hi s 47F- can you please review the scripts for call centre and wizard cell on use of ticks and crosses
(and formality generally) in light of media in the last 24 hours? Grateful if we can ensure it is very
explicit that voters must write yes or no and be very careful around how it deals with the savings
provision; please check with Evan that it is consistent with what we are saying in other external
forums.
Happy to discuss or review as needed.
s 47F
- s 22
Thank you,
Kath
