Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher is set to benefit from the ballot draw for the ACT senate after the ALP drew the top position, while the Liberal party has secured fourth position followed by the party of independent candidate David Pocock.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Sustainable Australia Party will be listed second, followed by Clive Palmer's United Australia Party.
The Australian Progressives will hold seventh position and The Greens will be eighth on the ballot paper in May.
Legalise Cannabis Australia, Animal Justice Party and Informed Medical Options Party will all follow in that order.
Independent Kim Rubenstein, who will feature sixth, said she was happy with where she is on the ballot, emphasising the importance of being registered as a party in order to be listed above the line.
"80 per cent of people vote above the line, so that is more important," Rubenstein said.
Independent candidate and former Wallabies captain David Pocock, who recently renounced his Zimbabwean and South African citizenships, called it a "total luck of the draw".
When asked about recent announcements from Liberal Senator Zed Seselja to pledge $15 million for upgrades to Viking Park if re-elected, Pocock called it a "re-announcement".
On the House of Representatives ballot papers, the seat of Canberra will have have United Australia Party candidate Catherine Smith first, while current Canberra MP Labor's Alicia Payne will be last on the ballot.
In the south Canberra electorate of Bean, United Australia Party candidate Sean Conway will also be first, while incumbent Labor MP David Smith will be listed third and Liberal candidate Jane Hiatt will be last on the ballot.
In electorate of Fenner, in Canberra's north, current Labor member Andrew Leigh will be first on the ballot, followed by Liberal candidate Nathan Kuster.
The ballot paper order drawing process involving candidates being numbered on bingo balls, put into a bingo cage, rotated and then a blindfolded person randomly picking out the balls in order of ballot positions.
The position on the ballot paper matters because often donkey voters will number down the order of the ballot paper, from top to bottom.
Soofia Tariq
Soofia joined the Canberra Times in 2022 as the cadet. She is now a general news reporter, covering everything from local stories to ACT and federal politics. She previously interned and was an audio producer at The Guardian Australia. She has also worked at 2SER Radio and City Hub Sydney. Her email is soofia.tariq@canberratimes.com.au
Soofia joined the Canberra Times in 2022 as the cadet. She is now a general news reporter, covering everything from local stories to ACT and federal politics. She previously interned and was an audio producer at The Guardian Australia. She has also worked at 2SER Radio and City Hub Sydney. Her email is soofia.tariq@canberratimes.com.au
