Subj : Re: boring stuff...
To   : The Millionaire
From : boraxman
Date : Fri May 13 2022 12:11:06

 TM> Aren't Donkeys Democrats and Rhinos Republicans?
 TM>  
 TM> $ The Millionaire $

Not in Australia.  In Australia, the two major parties are Labor and Liberal (though the Libs are more socially conservative, go figure).  No animals used here.

A "donkey vote" is slang for a informal vote, which is basically a vote made that is invalid, either not valid because it is blank, defaced, or has another fake candidate written in.

Voting is compulsory in Australia, so even if you don't want to vote for anyone, you still have to turn up to a voting booth and have your name checked off.  I don't know what happens if you just walk out then without submitting a ballot, but for those who are in a position of having to cast a vote, and not actually wanting to do one, a 'donkey vote' is a way out.

This would be rare in the US, because if you don't want to cast a vote, you don't have to.  We do, but there is no way of tracking
who put in a blank ballot paper or not so you can get away with doing that silently.

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