ACT Legislative Assembly Ballot Paper

1989, printed ink on paper, with pen and ink drawings by Geoff Pryor and autographs (1992)

Humorous elements of the first ACT election, held in March 1989, have now achieved folk status. The extraordinary length of the ballot paper – just over one metre, the two-month period taken to count votes under the modified D’Hondt electoral system, and the participation of parties such as the Sun Ripened Warm Tomato Party, the Surprise Party and the Party! Party! Party! Party, all added to the funny side of the election of the fledgling ACT Legislative Assembly.

Michael Moore was elected to the first Assembly on the Residents Rally ticket. At the time of the second election in 1992 Moore, then heading up the Michael Moore Independents Group, commissioned cartoonist Geoff Pryor to draw caricatures of members of the first Assembly on an original ballot paper as a fundraising item. The elected members were all asked to autograph the original. They appear from left to right: Dennis Stevenson, Michael Moore, Norm Jensen, Hector Kinloch, Bernard Collaery, Bill Wood, Eleanor Grassby, Wayne Berry, Paul Whalan, Rosemary Follett, Craig Duby, Carmel Maher, David Prowse, Bill Stefaniak, Robyn Nolan, Gary Humphries & Trevor Kaine.

Object number

2008.6

Categories

Social History

Credit

Purchased 2008