Thank you so much to everyone has signed up to the Voter Choice Project so far. The responses are so fascinating already.
However, you’re mostly political nerds. I love you all, because I’m a nerd too, but let’s balance this sample up a bit: I want the haters and jokers to sign up.
I’m going to presume that if you’re actually reading this you’re a high grade political nerd. And as fellow nerd, or wonk if you prefer, I feel we should be able to bond on this: we all know people who do not give a toss about that which we obsess over. They don’t get it, they don’t care, all politicians suck. I want those people to sign up to the Voter Choice Project. Those are my haters.
You also probably know, and may be yourself, a joker. The joker is a particularly fascinating type of voter to me, because in order to make fun of politicians you need to know about them, so they’re actually pretty engaged rather than apathetic. I know it is impossible to campaign to a joker: they’re across the issues, they watch the news, they’ve just decreed the entire business of politics not to be worth serious consideration, only good for the lolz. But how the joker approaches voting is an unknown. It’s possible they vote for the funniest name on the ballot paper, informal, maybe the Pirate Party because the idea of parrot in parliament or someone saying ‘Mister Speaker, where has the rum gone’ cracks them up. I want the jokers.
(Ok, I confess there’s a fair bit of me that just wants to read the hilarious dry wit critiques of Australian politics the jokers are likely to deliver 😉 it’s a long PhD, let me have my fun.)
There are others who aren’t interested and don’t care, whether they are too busy with life or genuinely apathetic. We all know these people. I want them all, but I particularly want haters and jokers.
I need a good selection of voters from across the entire spectrum to get a good understanding of how they deal with this thing they are forced to do, and how they make their decisions too. They aren’t ordinarily just going to sign up for a voting study. They need to be prodded. Ask them for me please? Or even just share a Facebook post with them will do.
I also need more people under 30 generally (biggest lull is in the late 20’s), Coalition voters are a little low in the mix (not conservative voters per se but specifically Liberal/Nationals voters), and I’m also appealing for more rural voters. Obviously coming from a farming background and having cut my political teeth in New England, I’m always going to be particularly interested in rural issues and voters, and I really want to ensure I get a good sample from across the regions.
Thanks for your ongoing support,
RKC
