Teaching article
Which ballots count? Read the rules of the model
Use the instructions for the chosen voting model to check whether a ballot can be counted.
Put two fictional ballot papers beside the exact classroom instructions. Instead of asking which one looks tidy, ask whether each marking follows the stated requirements and what evidence supports that judgement.
To hand: Fictional ballot samples and a stated rule.
- Read the marking instructions together.
- Check each sample against those instructions.
- Explain uncertain examples without naming real voters.
Check the mark against the instruction
A one-choice classroom ballot marked with two choices fails that classroom instruction; real election rules need the appropriate official guidance.
Evaluate the ballot against the stated model rules. A classroom's invented marking rule should never be presented as official electoral law.
An unclear ballot is not a reason to judge a person's intelligence.
Which written instruction supports the decision? Use enlarged examples and partner explanations.
Resources
- Fair Rule or Random Rule? — Compare proposed rules and explain their practical effects.
Further reading
- Parliamentary Education Office — classroom activities
- Australian Electoral Commission — Democracy Rules
Read next
- Vote or seek consensus? Match the method to the decision
- A constitution analogy, with the stopping point marked
- Two civic sources may be repeating the same claim
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