In short:
The federal election will be called tomorrow for May 3, the ABC has confirmed.
It triggers a five-week campaign to convince voters whether Labor under Anthony Albanese or the Coalition under Peter Dutton is most fit to lead the country.
What’s next?
The prime minister will head to government house tomorrow morning to call the election.
How doesn’t it? We effectively have a 2 party solution, both of which are shit.
We have:
Preferential voting.
Proportional representation (at least in the lower house)
Independent organisation that sets seat boundaries.
compulsory voting
no electoral college system
Our system is completely different to the USA. Granted our media landscape is still just as fucked as theirs.
First preferences also result in funding going to that party provided it meets a minimum threshold. Putting others ahead of the major parties sends them a message to do better. It has also resulted in a number of seats being held by independents.
Unless you actually live in the seat the party leader is in, you are not voting for that party leader / giant douche / turd sandwich.
Cool, but in Australia you’re still choosing between Albo and Dutton for prime minister. ALP and LNP for government. Turd sandwich and giant douche.
The electoral college etc have literally nothing to do with it.