Malcolm Baalman

Australian political/electoral analyst; public policy (governance, electoral systems, public health, more). Better representation 👉 better governance.

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

Vale David Stratton (1939-2025)

[Secular Talk ([email protected]) @KyleKulinski]

@andrewcuomo @ZohranKMamdani why you tweeting like a Bond villain dog

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

@kevinbonham @pulsetasmania Excellent news.

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

@StevenHill1776 @GeoffreyHPowell @ACTAssembly Australia first started using PR (in its original form as STV) in the 1890s (Tasmania). Geoff is referring to the use of a hybrid party-list-with-preferencing system used for the ACT Legislative Assembly in 1989 and 1992, and widely condemned; it was replaced with STV from 1995.

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

@NicholasEgan1 @kevinbonham @benraue @AntonyGreenElec Ffs, and from south Australia. How embarrassment.

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

@kevinbonham I seem to be missing out on whoever it is on this site that @kevinbonham is watching, but supporting first past the post is just anti-democratic.

Do people even know how it got its name: https://t.co/q6XDFw49Yp

#Auspol2023

[Gävlebocken @Gavlebocken]

I’m bock baby!

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

@BenMessenger8 @GeoffreyHPowell I spent a gazillion hours trying to unscramble electoral terminology a few years ago - https://t.co/vk74qsn4Wo. People keep inventing new terms for the same thing. But I actually do like "ranked choice voting".

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

@stevenhill1776, recall that history was that preferential voting ('ranked choice') voting was invented (1850s) to support multi-member proportional representation ('STV'). Use in single-member divisions came along decades later.
🇦🇺started STV (1890s) before single-member usage

[Steven Hill @StevenHill1776]

@jacksantucci @majaVharris Jack, can we now say "RCV single winner" has led to "RCV proportional"? LOL It definitely did in Portland ME, yes? But even in Portland OR, is any doubt that RCV-PR would not have happened without RCV-SW gaining ground in so many places, incl in Oregon? Your thoughts?

[Michael Frost @michaelfrost6]

In Australia we vote on a Saturday. At the polling station there are BBQs and cake stalls and kids run around and play with their friends. All the ballots are verified and counted by a national electoral commission and everyone accepts the result. Democracy.

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

Triennial parliamentary inquiry into 🇦🇺electoral system opening.

Seems like the most positive climate since 2010-11 inquiry to get a good hearing for reform ideas.

[Kevin Bonham @kevinbonham]

#JSCEM season is open! Terms of reference here. Submissions by October 7

https://t.co/gOHAari0uY

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

@laurelrusswurm @Schmit_Henri @JoelWArmstrong @EdolonWolf @leofoss @FairVoteCanada @GeoffreyHPowell RCV when used in single member districts has no affect in ensuring ‘centrist’ assemblies or govts in 🇦🇺. Best that can be said it is facilitates small parties and independents to some extent.
Single seat districts are the real design flaw. Unfixable whatever the voting method.

[Ethan Scheiner @EthanScheiner]

My favorite work in Political Science is the 1992 Presidents and Assemblies by Shugart (@laderafrutal) and Carey (@johncarey03755). And it speaks in chilling ways to our world today.

A thread 1/n

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

Australian federal election 2022 done and dusted, by our excellent independent statutory electoral commission.

[Karen Barlow @KJBar]

STATEMENT: The Australian Electoral Commission has advised that the Writs for the 2022 Federal Election have now been returned. #auspol #@AusElectoralCom

[AEC ✏️ @AusElectoralCom]

We sure have.

[AEC ✏️ @AusElectoralCom]

The 2022 Federal Election is complete. Yesterday afternoon Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers returned Writs for all 151 House electorates (and Territory Senate elections) to the Governor-General.

Thank you for having your say, Australia. #auspol

[Bill Holohan Solicitor @BillHolohanSolr]

100 years ago today, 16 June 1922, the proportional representation single transferable vote system (PR–STV) was first used in Ireland in elections.
PR-STV is a system whereby Vote 1 goes to the 1sr choice candidate, Vote 2 to the 2nd and so on. In Ireland, all elections – Dáil,

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

Ah yes, the 10th case I was thinking of was in this year's election - Stephen Bates (Greens) has won Brisbane from 3rd place, by only a 9 vote gap. (Wasn't certain for some days, as it looked like he might initially place 2nd)
@stephenbatesmp

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

Actually it might only be 9 cases of winning from 3rd starting place ...will check...
• Wilmot [=Lyons] 1922
• Wimmera 1931
• Wimmera 1958
• Batman 1966
• Canning 1972
• McMillan 1972
• Fairfax 1990
• Blair 1998
• Denison 2010 (*Andrew Wilkie current MP)
@SuzieHolt4Groom

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

Actually it might only be 9 cases of winning from 3rd starting place ...will check...
• Wilmot [=Lyons] 1922
• Wimmera 1931
• Wimmera 1958
• Batman 1966
• Canning 1972
• McMillan 1972
• Fairfax 1990
• Blair 1998
• Denison 2010 (*Andrew Wilkie current MP)
@SuzieHolt4Groom

[Malcolm Baalman @MalcolmBaalman]

In House of Reps contests since 1918, candidates initially placed 3rd on first preferences have received other voter's preference votes to go on to win the seat on 10 occasions (out of over 5,000 cases).

No-one has ever won from an initial 4th place, however.