How-to-vote card

Senator Pauline Hanson, who is the leader of the right-wing One Nation party (which typically preferences the Coalition over Labor and puts the Greens last), announced that the party would preference Labor ahead of the Liberals in five seats, all of which were held by members of the Moderate faction, in response to the Liberal Party preferencing the Jacqui Lambie Network over One Nation in Tasmania. The electorates in question were Bass (Tasmania), Goldstein (Victoria), North Sydney (New South Wales) and Sturt (South Australia). Hanson also announced that she would preference against independent Helen Haines in the Victorian seat of Indi. However, the Liberals did benefit from One Nation's preferences in the Liberal-held seat of Braddon in Tasmania, which was previously a marginal seat (but in 2022 became a "fairly safe" seat. Hanson also assured that the party would still preference Liberal candidates in most other seats, as well as candidates from the other branches of the Coalition (i.e. the Nationals in rural electorates, the Liberal Nationals in Queensland and the Country Liberals in the Northern Territory).[8]

For state elections, New South Wales uses optional preferential voting. This means that voters only need to number one candidate on the Lower House ballot, but can choose to number more candidates. This also means that voters are not required to number any candidates below-the-line on the Upper House ballot paper. Because of this, many how-to-vote cards for state elections only ask voters to number one candidate.

At the 2023 state election, the Liberal Party's how-to-vote cards generally only had one box numbered for the Lower House, as well as two above-the-line and none below-the-line for the Upper House. In the Upper House, the party gave their second preference to the Liberal Democrats.[9] As the Liberal and National parties form the Coalition both federally and in many states (including New South Wales), candidates from each party direct preferences to each other if both parties are contesting in the same electorate. In 2023, this scenario (which rarely occurs in New South Wales) happened in two electorates: Port Macquarie and Wagga Wagga. In Port Macquarie, the two parties directed their second preferences to the other party and numbered no other candidates on the Lower House ballot paper in Port Macquarie.[10][11] However, in Wagga Wagga, both parties directed their second preferences to the other Coalition party and their third preferences to independent Joe McGirr, but numbered no other candidates.[12][13] Statewide, both parties contest the Upper House on the same ticket.

The Labor Party's preferences on how-to-vote cards vary, with some candidates choosing to number just one box on the Lower House ballot paper (and one above-the-line on the Upper House ballot paper) and others choosing to number more than one candidate for the Lower House and up to four parties above-the-line for the Upper House. However, in 2023, all Labor candidates that numbered more than one candidate on their Upper House ballot paper numbered the Liberal Party last.

In 2023, One Nation's how-to-vote cards instructed voters to only number one box on each ballot paper (and none below-the-line in the Upper House).[14]

In South Australia, a combined HTV card is displayed in the polling booths and early voting centres. Apart from saving paper, these combined HTVs are helpful for candidates who do not have the resources in manpower or funding to man every booth.[15]

A how-to-vote card lodged with the Electoral Commission of South Australia for display in polling booths and early voting centres. These HTV cards are edited for size and do not display images or icons.

In Victoria, HTV cards must be authorised by the Victorian Electoral Commission and meet certain regulations before they can be handed out on election day. Once the HTV card has been approved it can be handed out by the VEC employees in mobile hospital units and other non-regular booths.[16]