The head of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has sparked confusion after suggesting that ticks will be counted as Yes votes but crosses will not be counted as Nos in the Voice referendum.
On referendum day, widely expected to be October 14, Australians will be asked to write either “yes” or “no” in English on the ballot paper to the question, “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”
But appearing on Sky News on Wednesday, Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers was asked by host Tom Connell whether scrutineers would accept other types of marks inside the box.
“It’s a bit simpler than a normal election, it’s a yes or no — are you accepting anything inside the box?” Connell said. “A tick, a cross, a yes, a number one? How broad will you allow this, given the intention of people is going to be pretty clear, you’d think?”
Mr Rogers said it was a “great question” and again urged people to “make sure you write on that box ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in English”.
“Now there are so...
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