There are some rules around Election day material on a website like ours.
This rule applies to websites and social media
Don’t post anything to social media or a website on election day that could influence voters. Also make sure your profile pictures on social media don’t include anything that could influence voters.
You may only keep existing election or referendum material up on a website or social media if all the following apply.
- You don’t update it on election day
- It’s only available to people who choose to access it
- The site isn’t advertised
These rules apply from start of election day voting at 1 second after midnight until the close of polls at 1900. Obviously we don’t advertise, aren’t planning on updating it apart from comments by readers with severe moderation, and it is rather hard to argue that voluntarily leaving a comment is a forced action.
Obviously this law is kind of ridiculous and moot since I suspect that most of you (including me) have already voted. But the law is often an arse, and politicians are somewhat lazy about updating legislation to reflect reality. The two referendums tomorrow reflect that.
Traditionally, I’d just shutdown the comments on the whole site between 0000 and 1900 when the polls close. But this year we have moderators who aren’t being active on the day – including me in my bastard sysop from hell persona.
I am sure everyone who reads this site knows what that means. Comment all that you like without doing anything that looks like influencing voters in any way – including showing up or not showing up at the polls (the law is a bit ambiguous), how to vote on anything, or even material about the four questions on the ballot. Comments overnight will go into moderation until one of us deals with it. But one we have had our morning coffees or teas, I’ll release that constraint and just watch your self-restraint 🙂
Step over the line and your comment will be defaced with the offending content removed . A ban issued, and offenders will not be commenting on the election results here until a long long time after election day… So moderate yourself so we don’t have to do it for you.
You will find that all comments are off during the election day period apart from this post and Open Mike for election day. This post is about anything to do with election day – traffic, queues, idiots putting up unlawful material on election day, and how many minutes until we unmuffle you. Open Mike is for anything else.
Now because I am putting this post up before midnight. So my advice on Friday if that if you haven’t voted – then get off your lazy arse and do so. If at all possible – vote rationally and with an eye to the future. Voting conservative or for myths of any generation isn’t either – in my opinion. And no-one will be able to gainsay me here until 1900 on Saturday…
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