The title fight for Senate positions is about as riveting as watching paint dry in winter but SA’s political fist fight could go all the way, writes Mike Smithson.

In most federal elections the title fight for Senate positions is about as riveting as watching paint dry in winter.

But South Australia’s political fist fight on May 3 is shaping up as one which could go all the way, with the six positions anything but an early round knockout.

The Senate ballot is usually more complicated than a moon landing, often with a large field of candidates across a ballot paper so wide that in makes unfurling a toilet roll appear manageable.

In SA there are 40 individuals who’ve nominated.

In the Australian Constitution, each state is allocated 12 senators to act as watchdogs over the parliament, basically a house of review.

In other words, a second set of eyes on legislation passed up from the House of Representatives and vice versa.

In the past, mathematicians rivalling Einstein have worked out complex preference deals between major and minor players which, on occasions, allow unknown candidates with relatively few first preference votes to win a seat.

That’s been largely ironed out with voters marking each box from one to six in order of their preferred party above the line or for the more committed voter, a preferential vote from one to 12 below the line.

Preferences are essential for those candidates outside the........

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