High number of invalid votes in culturally diverse seats prompts concerns after federal election

Big disparities in the informal vote across the nation spark fresh questions about compulsory preferential voting

• Australia federal election 2022 LIVE - latest news, updates and results
• Election 2022 results: live votes tracker and federal seat counts
• Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing

More than one in 10 votes were ruled invalid in the multicultural seat of Fowler, raising serious questions about whether explanations of Australia's compulsory preferential voting system are getting through.

Fowler, in Sydney's south-west, has one of the highest non-English-speaking populations, many of whom have come to Australia as refugees from countries with very different political systems.

Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning