Adelaide City Council Election 2007 (LORD MAYOR POLL)

[rogue]

Its no wonder we have problems with the ACC when you look at the poor quality of candidates vying for lord mayor. Those candidates look like they should be vying for lord mayor of kingscote or port augusta not adelaide.

If we want a vibrant city with a higher national and global image we need higher calibre professional lord mayor to lead the ACC and Adelaide to a more prosperous future.

Hey, dont knock the Mayor of Port Augusta. Joy Baluch may have been around since Adam was playing full back for Jerusalem, but she would crack a few heads if she was Mayor of Adelaide. She has done a fantastic job for Port Augusta and surrounding areas. ACC could only dream of having someone with enough balls (so to speak) like her on board.

[Shuz]

Looks like its going to be a Harboslide. lol.

[Harbo]

Dont forget the dark horse, David Campbell.
He's young, he's smart, he has ideas.
David may surprise in the poll.
He is first candidate to have his web site noticed by Electoral Commissioner.
I have had a campaign website for 9 years and no one has even noticed!
Go Cambo!

[crawf]

Hi David

[Shuz]

Welcome to the forums Harbo.
Just a quick question. Are you allowed to voice your opinion, and or release statements regarding developments in Adelaide? Or are you restricted by certain legalities concerning your position on the ACC?

Cheers.

[keepadelaidealive]

Dont forget the dark horse, David Campbell.
He's young, he's smart, he has ideas.

Thanks Harbo, but you forgot to add 'good looking'

[Bulldozer]

Internet voting needed, says poll candidate

A candidate for Adelaide City Council says that internet voting is needed for local government elections, as a way to encourage more young people to vote.

At the halfway mark of the council voting period last week, only 20 per cent of registered voters had returned their ballot paper through the post.

Candidate David Campbell says postal voting is an outdated system that will elect only outdated representatives.

"Because the people that vote in non-compulsory elections are the ones that have the time to do so," he said.

"They're often the retired people and the people that have the time on their hands to vote, they're often voting for the people that have been there for a very long period of time."

Sorry, but that is a very silly thing to say. There are too many issues to consider it reliable. The beautiful simplicity of the paper ballot is its greatest strength: it provides a physical trail of accountability. Democracy isn't meant to be efficient and convenient. If you are concerned about the low level of voter turnout then you would be better off advocating that voting in local council elections be made compulsory.

[keepadelaidealive]

Actually Bulldozer, Internet voting is been widely used in the UK, Switzerland, Estonia and Canada, mostly for non-compulsory local government elections. Not only has it increased voter turn out, but has encouraged voting from a wider cross section of the community.

[Pants]

Harbo, if you're still around, if you do a complete 180 degree turn and promote the unification of Victoria Square via the part closure of Wakefield Street, I'll have my substantial friend and family base fake an address in the ACC boundary and vote for you.

Surely that's not too much to ask.

[Pants]

Dont forget the dark horse, David Campbell.
He's young, he's smart, he has ideas.

Thanks Harbo, but you forgot to add 'good looking'

Hi David, I've just had my first look at your site and I don't think he forgot 'good looking' by accident.

I'm joking, of course.

My lack of humour aside, I've had the opportunity to read your vision for the city and agree with you 100%. Good luck in the upcoming elections. It would be great for Adelaide's visionary youth to have a mouthpiece on the ACC. Good luck with the North Adelaide residents groups though.

[keepadelaidealive]

You're dead right. I've created as many friends as I have enemies in this, I think.

Thanks for your flattering comments

[aussie2000]

Hi David

lol

[Bulldozer]

Actually Bulldozer, Internet voting is been widely used in the UK, Switzerland, Estonia and Canada, mostly for non-compulsory local government elections. Not only has it increased voter turn out, but has encouraged voting from a wider cross section of the community.

How can you be sure that what you vote is what is recorded?
How can you be sure that your vote is anonymous?
How can you be sure that the records haven't been tampered with?

Fact is, you can't trust anything that is connected to the internet and allows anyone to connect to it. Similarly, you can't trust anyone that connects to you. All that voting this way offers over the traditional paper ballot is that it's more convenient, and I think it's a bit of a stretch to argue that the increased convenience outweighs the negatives of losing a verifiable paper trail.

[crawf]

Hi David

lol

lol

Welcome to the forum Harbo, Its great too see someone like you on here

[Ben]

From the Messenger:

Four in a Lordly race

Louise Russell

16Oct07

AT THE weekend one of four people will be named as the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, yet it seems the vast majority of city voters could not care less.

By last Monday afternoon (October 15) about one-in-five of the city's 21,000 eligible voters had bothered to have their say down about 6percent on the 2003 council election.

Lord Mayor Michael Harbison is being challenged by former city councillor and marketing manager Francene Connor, Rymill Park Kiosk owner Arnie Rossis and North Adelaide B&B owner Jeffrey Wheare. The election campaign has been dominated by the proposed Victoria Park revamp a controversial plan but apparently not rivetting enough to excite very many voters. Mr Harbison this week said it was unfortunate the election had become a referendum on Victoria Park.

``I would hope it's broader than that. It should be about the future of our city and our values,'' he said.

He has campaigned on environmental issues pushing for more aquifer water storage, bike lanes and green city developments - as well as standing on his record of bringing more students, workers and residents to the city. Mrs Connor has made a stand against the Victoria Park redevelopment and has also argued in favour of building the new ``Marj'' hospital within the square mile, for more childcare centres, bringing the international rail terminal into the city and giving Rundle Mall a facelift. Mrs Connor suggested that having 40 council candidates chasing just 11 spots may be behind the low voter turnout. ``I`m really concerned people are going to say it's too hard, I can't be bothered,'' she said.

Mr Rossis has stuck to local government favourites vowing to keep rates low and to make the council more accessible.
Mr Wheare has campaigned primarily on heritage protection.

The count begins on Saturday (October 20) and the lord mayoral results are expected to be announced later that day.