Emmanuel Ezekiel-Hart is running as an uncategorised independent candidate for Brindabella. Photo: James Coleman.

With less than three weeks to go before Canberrans cast their votes, we now know exactly what the 2024 ballot paper will look like.

At an event at the ACT Legislative Assembly yesterday (25 September), ACT Electoral Commissioner Damian Cantwell confirmed the names of all candidates standing in each of the ACT’s five electoral districts.

He also presided over the drawing of ballot papers to determine the order in which the various parties and candidates would appear on the ballot paper.

This uses an electronic random number generator rather than the lottery-like approach used in federal elections, where candidates in each chamber are assigned small, numbered balls that are then placed in a rotating metal cage and pulled out at random.

Random number generator in action. Photo: James Coleman.

This process, known as the “Robson Rotation,” has remained the same and is designed to avoid the influence of so-called “donkey votes,” in which voters number candidates in the order they appear on the ballot paper.

“That’s the best way we can assure the community, candidates and parties that this is a fair and equitable process and that there is no bias in determining how the ballots will look in individual constituencies,” Mr Cantwell explained.

“It is important that we maintain the trust the community has in the system and processes.”

A total of 149 candidates from 12 parties were nominated, including seven running as independent candidates not affiliated with any party.

The parties include: ACT Labor, ACT Greens, Animal Justice Party, Belco Party, Canberra Liberals, Family First, Fiona Carrick Independent, First Nation Party, Independents for Canberra, Labor DLP, Libertarian Party and Strong Independents.

“We have more candidates than in the previous election and it is a great testament to the spirit of democratic energy in the community,” Mr. Cantwell said.

“We welcome the candidates as nominated and announced and wish them success.”

A random number sorts each party and candidate. Photo: James Coleman.

Current ACT Green Party member and Kurrajong candidate Shane Rattenbury said the event “really marks the start of candidates and people really starting to take notice”.

Murrumbidgee candidate Fiona Carrick said her team of volunteers would be actively working “on the roads with banners, in shops, putting up leaflets” in these final weeks.

“We already know where we are on the ballot. Early voting is coming up soon, so we’ll be out there talking to the community,” she said.

“There is a mood for a change, for something different, and we hear that among voters, so we are happy about that.”

In a last-minute move, Canberra independent voters announced four more candidates on Wednesday morning, taking their total to 20.

Kathleen Bolt, the woman for Nyangbal-Githabal-Bandjalang-Widjabal, has joined the team as a candidate supporting the riding of Murrumbidgee alongside Robert Knight, former federal and political candidate for the Australian Capital Territory for the Canberra Progressives.

Suzanne Nucifora, a community and sustainability advocate, will run for Ginninderra, and Elise Searson, a women and child safety advocate, will run for Brindabella.

“When we first announced the launch of the Independents for Canberra campaign in late January, I was the only person who put in an application to run,” said party leader Thomas Emerson.

“We were optimistic that the movement would grow, but we had no idea how many people would sign up as candidates. The growing support for the movement has been extraordinary.”

Shane Rattenbury of ACT Greens, Elizabeth Lee of Canberra Liberals, Thomas Emerson of Independents for Canberra and Andrew Barr of ACT Labor. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

The Canberra Liberals ran five candidates in Ginninderra – Chiaka Barry, Peter Cain, Joe Prevedello, Darren Roberts and Elizabeth Kikkert – until allegations of bullying by party staff emerged in Kikkert.

Kickett took on the role of representing the Family First party in the constituency, but the Liberals failed to find a replacement in time.

The ACT election will be held on Saturday, October 19, with voting open at polling stations between 8am and 6pm. Postal voting will begin on September 30, followed by early voting at selected polling stations from October 8. You can see a list of all the candidates and their constituencies here.

For more information, visit the Elections ACT website.