The Donkey Vote
This is where someone ranks the candidates based on the order they appear on the ballot paper. Donkey votes ARE counted as it is entirely possible that you want to vote for the candidates in the order given. However there is always a slight advantage to those candidates higher up on the ballot paper.
Do not donkey vote if you care about who governs Australia.
Most importantly every candidate who wins over 4% of the vote is paid for each vote they receive, so you could be directing funds to a party or candidate you do not approve of.
The informal vote
This is usually regarded as a ballot paper that has not been completed correctly. This can be by accident or deliberate.
Someone who does not understand the voting system can complete their ballot paper wrongly by accident. Commonly this can be by numbering only the first preference and not the rest of the boxes.
Many others deliberately wreck their ballot papers as a protest against the quality of the candidates.
Informal ballot papers are not counted towards any candidate. They are counted as the “informal vote”. So we are advocating that you at least make your vote count by finding a minority or independent candidate and giving them your vote.
More Reading…
For details on informal voting go to Informal Voting
For details on election funding go to Election funding
Make your vote count - Vote minor party or independent 