The lowdown on the Wentworth by-election

• When does GetUp get involved in elections?

  GetUp gets involved in election campaigns where there is:

  • An opportunity: a clear distinction between the parties or candidates in the running on the issues that matter most to the GetUp movement, and a strong chance that our involvement will lead to progress on those issues;
  • A movement: of members who approve of being involved, and are themselves eager to be involved;
  • An avenue: a pathway for members to participate and create positive change on the issues they care about.

  GetUp members get involved in elections in a range of ways — whether it's making calls to speak to voters, chipping in for a billboard, volunteering their time for a cheeky tactic, or speaking to voters on election day at their local polling booth.

  GetUp takes a range of information into account when deciding how and whether to campaign during elections. The GetUp Strategy Team run polls of voters, as well as talking to GetUp members on the ground, over the phone and on the internet. Together, we have conversations about how and when GetUp members want to put their force into political campaigns. When we can't brainstorm face-to-face, we also work through questions of strategy and priority in surveys.

  There are 13,000 GetUp members in Wentworth - that's more than one in ten voters! Local members are already making a big difference in this by-election: calling and writing to their neighbours and chipping in for billboards and advertising. Our survey of Wentworth members showed that they were on the same page as the broader electorate about the importance of climate change, nominating it as the top-priority issue of the by-election. An overwhelming 96% of Wentworth members were keen for GetUp to get involved in the by-election.

• What is GetUp doing on polling day?

  GetUp has created independent, issue-based how-to-vote cards for the electorate of Wentworth. How-to-vote cards show voters how to make their vote count in support of climate action. On election day in Wentworth, more than a hundred volunteers will be distributing this information across the electorate - click here to register your interest.

• How did you pick which candidates to feature on your how-to-vote cards?

  Our how-to-vote cards seek to provide helpful information for GetUp members and local voters on how they can make their vote count on the issues they care about — in this case, climate change.

  GetUp conducted research and surveys of political parties and candidates on their policies. We've combined that information with recent policy announcements and statements from candidates and party spokespeople to track who has the strongest positions on our issues that GetUp members care about.

  As you'll see in the policy scorecard, more parties and candidates scored well on climate policy than could fit on a readable how-to-vote card. Of these, four candidates are in a position to ensure the Liberal Party suffers at the ballot box for failing to represent Wentworth voters' views on climate change. Parties and candidates in contravention of GetUp's core mission (for a fair, flourishing and just Australia) were not considered for inclusion. Nor were candidates without demonstrated support from the community (for example, holding a seat in a parliament or demonstrated support in polling).

• Which parties and candidates are featured on your how-to-vote cards?

  In a field of 16 candidates with a very complicated ballot paper, we've aimed to have the simplest possible how-to-votes while still giving the greatest possible proportion of voters useful information on how to make their vote count for the climate.

  Given the importance of preference flows in the Wentworth by-election and the volatility of the primary votes for non-Liberal candidates in polling so far, we have set a low polling threshold for candidates' inclusion on our HTVs.

  We're constantly testing how best to help people make their vote count. This approach will give us another opportunity to find out what works.

• How did you decide the order of preferences on your how-to-vote cards?

  Preferencing is no perfect science, particularly in a by-election with a complicated, 16-person ballot paper. In deciding the order of preferences, we prioritised the candidates who scored highest on our policy scorecard while also meeting the polling threshold for being featured on the how-to-vote.

  Overall, we prioritised candidates or parties whose overall contribution to politics appeared broadly aligned with the GetUp movement's core values — for example, candidates who are in favour of climate action, participatory democracy, human rights and economic fairness; and whose policies don't contravene fundamental human rights and the core beliefs for our movement (e.g. support of multiculturalism and migrants, women's rights, and equality for all — no matter who you love or worship).

  We didn't receive responses to our policy survey from every candidate and party running in this by-election. However, we independently scrutinised the parties or candidates; and combined it with survey responses we did receive. These inputs helped inform the fact base and the order of the candidates featured on our how-to-vote cards.

  For more information, check out our detailed Wentworth by-election scorecard. This scorecard may be updated as more information comes to light about the candidates and where they stand. If you spot something that you think is missing - email wentworthvotes@getup.org.au

• Is GetUp backing any candidates in the by-election?

  GetUp is backing climate action, not candidates — our research-based how-to-vote cards remind voters of the Liberal Party's appalling track record on climate change. They give Wentworth locals information on how to send the strongest possible message to the Liberal party by voting for candidates with better climate policies.

  How-to-votes are one of many things GetUp members are doing in this by-election to encourage Wentworth voters to ensure the Liberal party pays a price for its inaction on climate change. Hundreds of members are calling voters, chipping in for billboards, online and print advertising and street posters.

Wentworth How-to-Vote cards

Click image for a high-res version