As to the whole voting thing, as I was waking up, I realised that there was nothing wrong with going into the poling place. What I did on the ballot form was a different issue.
(voting is compulsory in Australia)
Different elders told me that "it would be a bad witness to the community and other JWs if they saw a witness going in to the polling place"
So it depends on the level of control the local body of elders employs....