Cheating in elections is not allowed

By the end of the day the coming Australian federal election - which sits on a knife's edge - was announced... 100,000 people were disenfranchised.

Let me explain how that happened.
You see, in 2006, a conservative Coalition government was in power, and they changed the rules about how much time people have to get on the electoral roll before it closes, after an election has been announced.
...to 8pm THE SAME DAY.

Previously you had 7 days.

Now....why? Why would any government make that change?

Ah well... the reasoning was pretty transparent:
People who are not on the roll already are mostly young. It could be their first election. And these people...
...tend not to vote conservative.

The changes wiped out thousands and thousands of potential votes for their opponents, the Australian Labor Party and the Greens.

But one political advocacy group weren't going to have it and they took it to the High Court. On Friday the High Court handed down its majority decision, at around lunchtime. It was the fastest-ever ruling for a full court hearing. The changes by the Coalition were found to be unconstitutional. Those people have a right to vote.

The Coalition might get back into power anyway. Like I said the election is on a knife's edge. But at least one more conservative attempt to hijack democracy has been averted.

John Howard sucks hirsute canine appendages.

Oh and... Failing to enrol incurs a $110 fine. The Coalition were going to deny you the chance to vote against them, and then take your money for failing to do it.