That will also be the case when Bathurst voters go to the polls [if Bathurst voters go to the polls] in September this year.

Laziness appeared to be the most common theme for local voters at the 2012 local government election when around half of the ballots cast took the easy – and quick – option of voting “above the line”.

Those voters were only required to write the number one in the box corresponding to their preferred group of five candidates, headed by Warren Aubin, Jess Jennings and Greg Westman.

No doubt most of them were in and out of the polling station in a matter of seconds.

By contrast, voters who voted “below the line” had to scan around 30 names to find their preferred candidates and then number from one to five [at least] to cast a formal vote. It’s a much slower way to vote but provides a much better reflection of the voter’s real intentions.

So it’s probably disappointing – even if understandable – that there will be even more names above the line at this year’s election.

All five of the councillors who have already committed to running again – Graeme Hanger, Michael Coote, Warren Aubin, Bobby Bourke and Ian North – have said they will be running tickets, and it’s no wonder.

Running as an independent candidate used to be a matter of principle for most council candidates but voters have ensured those days have passed.

Putting a team together has proved to be the most surefire way of getting on council as so many Bathurst voters have proved they are happy to take the easy option.

But while lazy voting might deliver the council we deserve, it won’t necessarily deliver the council we want.

Above-the-line voting is taking a blunt tool to what is really a very complex decision for voters.

Above-the-line voters hand over the distribution of their preferences to those who have put together the teams rather than having to make the decision themselves which all-but-guarantees they don’t reflect the voter’s real intentions.

And that ultimately means we could end up with a council that does not reflect the community’s intentions.

That’s too high a price to pay for the sake of saving a few minutes at the ballot box.