The United States' problems may only be beginning if a sizeable portion of ^the population follows this inflammatory path to simmering disenchantment. Even the tendency to believe the claims hints at a stark contrast to Australia and our bipartisan respect for the independent institutions that tabulate these votes. Certainly votes are lost here, sometimes miscounted, but people don't revert to wielding guns at election officials when they don't get what they want.

Even in the tightest of races, like the seat of Ripon in 2018, the parties follow the appropriate channels of appeal and verification. When exhausted, losers and winners alike abide by the result. Acceptance underlines the legitimacy of the office. Perception of the impartiality of the process is also critical to the stability and endurance of democracy regardless of partisanship.

So inciting unrest when people are so emotionally volatile is a quick path to anarchy. Only the despot capitalises from that chaos. The will of the people, along with every other principle, is soon abandoned by a self-serving Coriolanus, ultimately himself despised by history.

So in a quieter way the completion of local government elections, whether they favoured your choice or not, must be seen to be a successful measure of the temperate nature of Australian democracy.

Some councils like Hepburn were almost cleaned out. Others like Ballarat, despite all the problems within the organisation, have had a majority of incumbents returned. Despite a scathing IBAC investigation and a damning Ombudsman report that led to the whole executive team leaving, it seems in Ballarat voters were sufficiently forgiving to believe these were outside the councillors control or they have faith the steps to clean the mess up are on track. Either way, the confidence in the electoral system that puts councillors in - reflected in a record turnout - is something to be calmly thankful for.

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