How do I vote?

The VEC has all of this information laid out for you here: vec.vic.gov.au/voting/how-voting-works

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We recommend that on the small Lower House ballot paper people should vote 1 Greens and then number every other box in the order of your preference.

Not sure who all the parties are? Follow the order on Greens How to Vote Card as we always number them in the best way to achieve the most progressive parliament possible.

On the big Upper House ballot paper we recommend people should vote 1 Greens in the top row of boxes above the line. That’s it. Don’t number anything else.

By doing this you can be sure your vote is correct and your vote goes to the Greens first, then your preferences go to progressive minor parties and Labor next. The Greens will always preference Liberals and far-right parties last.

 

Can the Greens win? I want to vote for someone who has a chance of winning.

Yes! We are running candidates in every seat across Victoria and can win new seats in both the Upper House and Lower House.

This election the Greens can have a strong chance of doubling our representation in the Victorian Parliament from four to eight Members of Parliament.

If you vote 1 Greens, we can keep the Liberals out, and push the next Labor Government further and faster on climate action, housing affordability, integrity and equality.

Change is closer than you think.

How do I make sure I don’t waste my vote?

Ever heard something like – “a vote for a minor party is a wasted vote”? Not true! This is a scare campaign run by the major parties who want to keep the two party system as it is.

You cannot waste your vote because of Australia’s preferential voting system. You can vote 1 for the party you feel best represents your values and if your number 1 vote doesn’t win, your number 2 vote (preference) will be counted and so on. You lose nothing by giving your 1 vote to a minor party. 

If you vote 1 Greens, we can keep the Liberals out, and put the Greens in a powerful position to hold the Labor Government to account on the issues that matter.

The Greens will stop new coal and gas mines, fix the housing affordability crisis and bring greater integrity and equality to the parliament. Your vote is powerful.

Here's the the Australian Electoral Commission explaining how it is not possible to 'waste' your vote

Will a vote for the Greens help Labor or the Libs?

We’ve heard the scare campaign before “a vote for the Greens is a vote for the Liberals” – that’s a flatout lie. A vote for the Greens helps the Greens. It helps us gain more power in parliament to fight for you.

What matters is that you vote 1 Greens and then make sure you put Labor above the Liberals – so that if the Greens don’t win in your local seat, your vote can go to help Labor, not the Liberals. 

Who are you preferencing?

The Greens are preferencing Labor above the Liberals. If you follow a Greens how-to-vote card your preferences won't go to the Liberals.

The Greens have put the Liberals, and far right and backwards groups like Palmer’s United Australia Party, the Freedom Party, One Nation and the Democratic Labor Party last. 

If the Greens don’t win your local seat, your vote can help elect a Labor government and keep the Liberals out. 

Have the Greens done a deal with the Liberals?

No. The Greens want to keep the Liberals out. We won’t meet with them and we are putting them and far right groups last on our preferences.

Who decides what’s on the Greens how-to-vote card?

Decisions on the order of preferences on our how-to-vote cards are made by the Victorian Greens party, including Greens members in local branches. Not candidates or MPs.

Did you talk to every party in preference negotiations?

No. There’s no point in us talking to parties like One Nation, the DLP or Palmer’s United Australia Party. We know who they are and we want them gone.

The Greens have put the Liberals, and far right groups like Freedom Party, DLP, Palmer’s United Australia Party or One Nation last on our how-to-vote cards across Victoria. It’s a no-brainer.

Who are you preferencing?

The Greens are preferencing Labor above the Liberals. If you follow a Greens how-to-vote card your preferences won't go to the Liberals.

The Greens have put the Liberals, and far right and backwards groups like Palmer’s United Australia Party, the Freedom Party, One Nation and the Democratic Labor Party last. 

If the Greens don’t win your local seat, your vote can help elect a Labor government and keep the Liberals out. 

Have the Greens done a deal with the Liberals?

No. The Greens want to keep the Liberals out. We won’t meet with them and we are putting them and far right groups last on our preferences.

Who decides what’s on the Greens how-to-vote card?

Decisions on the order of preferences on our how-to-vote cards are made by the Victorian Greens party, including Greens members in local branches. Not candidates or MPs.

Group Voting Tickets explained

Victoria is the only place left in Australia that still uses the corrupt anti-democratic 'group voting ticket' system to elect people in the Upper House.

Under this system, if you vote 1 above the line in the Upper House for the Labor, Liberal or National parties, or one of the small micro parties, THEY decide where your vote goes, not you. 

Parties do deals to control where preferences flow, and your vote could end up with a party you do not agree with.

In the past, this has resulted in fringe right-wing parties getting elected with only a tiny percentage of the vote.

So what should you do?

• Voting above the line: Vote 1 Greens to give the Greens the best chance of winning an Upper House seat. We will preference other progressive parties first and put the Liberals and other right-wing parties last.
• Voting below the line: You can also vote ‘below the line’ to control where your preferences go yourself. Number 1-5 for the Greens candidates, then number as many more boxes as you wish. You must number at least 5 boxes below the line for your vote to count.

Read this resource from the VEC on how to vote.

I want to vote below the line on the big ballot paper. How can I do that?

You can choose who your preferences go to in the big upper house ballot paper, by leaving the top row blank and numbering below the line.

We recommend you number the Greens candidates 1-5 first, then keep on numbering your preferred second, third, fourth and so on preference of party candidates.