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Booth FAQs

Thank you for volunteering to hand out How To Vote cards to keep Brisbane Green. It can mean up to 2% extra Greens vote by having a friendly volunteer handing out HTVs, so you are making a big difference!

PREPARING FOR YOUR SHIFT

  • On election day you are the public face of the Greens, so please dress neatly and adopt a friendly manner.
  • Please wear your ironed Greens T-shirt. If you’ve asked to borrow a shirt Greens shirt it will be in your booth kit.
  • If it’s cold or raining, please wear the Greens shirt outside your coat if you can.
  • Bring a hat, sunscreen, drinking water, a raincoat or umbrella as required by the weather, and a chair if you wish.
  • If you are doing a long shift, don't forget to bring lunch
  • Please allow plenty of time to arrive at least 15 minutes before your shift. If you’re going to be late, contact your booth captain.
  • If you're new to booth volunteering we'll train you up on the day, but in the mean time feel free to check out this 3 minute generic training video here.

FAQs

Can I recycle used cards from the booth?

  • The polling station will have bins inside for recycling HTV cards, but you aren’t allowed to retrieve used cards from inside.
  • There are plenty of HTVs available but if you are on-track to run out, let you booth captain know.

Can I vote during my shift?

  • If there are other Greens volunteers to cover you, yes you can BUT you must remove or cover any Greens clothing.

What rules & laws do I need to be aware of?

  • All Greens signs and posters must be at least six (6) metres away from the polling booth entrance. If unsure, ask the Electoral Officer to let you know where the boundary is. Also, signs and volunteers must not block paths.
  • No material distribution, advertising or discussion with a voter may be carried out within this 6 metre exclusion zone.
  • It is against the law to take HTVs from the bins within the polling place.
  • If you need to approach or enter the Booth, you must remove or cover any clothing or badges advertising the Greens.
  • You are required to follow the instructions of any AEC officer. However, if you believe they are being unfair or telling you something contact your booth captain.
  • Any group is permitted to hand out HTV cards. Other groups may hand out bogus HTVs; i.e. “How to vote for the environment”, but advocating a vote for another party. You can counter this by giving out your Greens card and stating clearly your Greens message. If you believe a HTV car being handed out by someone else is fraudulent or unauthorised, contact your booth captain.
  • If you believe that another group or party is acting in a questionable way, let the booth captain know.

How do I answer the questions of voters or other party workers?

  • Be polite but brief and don’t let yourself be distracted from the main reason you are there, which is to hand out HTVs.
  • If someone asks you a question about the Greens, do your best to answer it, but as a volunteer you are not expected to know all the answers or explain policy in detail. You can answer questions as a supporter, “I’m voting Greens because…”
  • If it is a policy question, ask them to look at the Greens website (greens.org.au/platform).
  • If a voter is rude or abusive, respond politely but then ignore them and turn your attention to other voters. If they are creating a real problem or obstructing you in any way, you or your booth captain can report it to the AEC Returning Officer.
  • If someone is “baiting” you or try to engage you in debate for the sake of it, politely explain that today is not the best setting for a long discussion and don’t get drawn into it.

Common questions from voters

  • “Where are the Greens preferences going?”
    This is the voter’s choice, but our suggested preferences are on the How To Vote cards.
  • “Do I have to number all the squares?”
    It is compulsory to number all boxes on the lower house ballot paper. On the Senate ballot paper at least 6 boxes above the line (for parties), or 12 boxes below the line (for individual candidates). If you vote 1 Greens and 2 for your next preferred candidate, your vote transfers fully to your second choice if your first choice doesn’t win.
  • “What is my electorate?”
    Some booths are shared with another electorate. If this is the case for your booth, you should hold HTV cards for both electorates to offer to the voters. Electorate maps are in the booth kit, & voters can check their electorate at AEC “Find my Electorate”.
  • “I want to join the Greens”
    We love making friends. Ask them to join online at greens.org.au/qld here