Donkey vote facts for kids
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A donkey vote happens during an election when a voter marks their ballot paper by simply numbering the candidates in the exact order they appear on the list. For instance, if the first candidate listed is J. Smith, the second is M. Doe, and the third is N. Citizen, a donkey vote would be marking '1' next to J. Smith, '2' next to M. Doe, and '3' next to N. Citizen. These votes are still counted in election results. This is because the voter might have genuinely wanted to vote that way, and all the required boxes are filled correctly.
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What is a Donkey Vote?
A donkey vote is a type of vote where a person doesn't choose candidates based on their policies or promises. Instead, they just follow the order the names are printed on the ballot paper. Imagine a list of names from top to bottom. A donkey voter would put '1' for the first name, '2' for the second, and so on, all the way down the list. This is often done without much thought about who the candidates are.
Why is it Called a Donkey Vote?
The term "donkey vote" comes from the idea of a donkey blindly following a path. In the same way, a voter might "blindly" follow the order of names on the ballot paper. It's a simple way to cast a vote without making specific choices.
How Does it Work on a Ballot Paper?
When you vote in an election, you get a ballot paper. This paper lists all the people, or candidates, who want to be elected. Next to each name, there's usually a box where you put a number. If you are casting a donkey vote, you would put '1' in the box next to the first name, '2' next to the second name, and so on, until every box has a number.
Example of a Donkey Vote
Let's say a ballot paper has these candidates:
- A. Green
- B. Blue
- C. Red
A donkey vote would look like this:
- A. Green: 1
- B. Blue: 2
- C. Red: 3
This means the voter has simply numbered them from top to bottom.
Why Are Donkey Votes Counted?
Even though a donkey vote might seem like a random choice, it is still a valid vote. Election rules usually state that if a ballot paper is filled out correctly, it must be counted. For a donkey vote, all the boxes are filled with numbers in the right way. Because of this, it's considered a "formal" vote. This means it follows all the rules and can be included in the final election results.
Are Donkey Votes Intentional?
Sometimes, a voter might intentionally cast a donkey vote. They might not know much about the candidates, or they might not care who wins. In other cases, it could be a quick way to vote if they are in a hurry. Since it's impossible to know what a voter was thinking, all correctly filled ballot papers are counted.
Related pages
- Preferential voting
