So we still don’t have government elected a week post voting. Did you have trouble filling out this year's electoral ballot, when you went to vote? I did, lucky for me my sister and I went together so she could help me fill it in if I needed her to. The length of the papers and number of choices was overwhelming and confusing. Was it 6 below the line or 12, who is the pirate party?? What do the two different colours mean again? I felt rushed trying to scroll back and forth along the paper. I kept losing my place. The text is black on white and is small so it makes it difficult to read. It was noisy, making it hard to concentrate. I was actually grateful for the flood of TV ads showing me how to fill in the papers. The repetition helped me to remember. But I couldn't help but think as I was lining up in that queue for the 2nd time in less than four years how people like me have difficulties filling out the papers. I have made mistakes before and ended up accidentally doing a donkey vote. I wouldn’t have known that I had made the mistake, if I hadn't told my sister how I voted. I didn't fill out all the numbers. I couldn't remember how many I was supposed to fill in. So if I struggled even though my reading is pretty good most of the time, how do others manage? How many people don't actually have a voice because they can't fill out the papers properly?

The Australian Electoral Commission have people there to help on the day, but how many of us ask for help in reading and filling out the form? I would be too embarrassed and would feel ashamed if I had to ask, so how many others out there might feel the same?

It's little things like this that seem so simple to others, but are actually quite difficult and embarrassing for those with learning difficulties and low literacy skills. As 10% of the population have a learning difficulty and 44% of Australians don't have the literacy and life skills necessary to meet the complex demands of work and life, this means that 55% of the vote is impacted on, which has huge implications for all of us, our families, communities and country. Is this why we are sitting yet again, precariously on the edge of yet another minority government? I’m not sure, but I do know that marginalised groups are left out of the decision making process, now is that a fair and democratic society?

Tell us what you think and if you have any ideas or suggestions on how we could address this issue with the Australia Electoral Commission.

Read more about Australian adults  literacy and life skills at the  National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults and 26TEN Improving Adult Literacy in Tasmania