VOTES FOR INVALIDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 238, 8 October 1928, Page 11

VOTES FOR INVALIDS.

NEW ELECTORAL CLAUSE.

POSTAL BAXiXiOT PROVIDED FOB. COMMENDABLE FORWARD MOVEMENT. «I consider it to be a commendable forward movement, and one long overdue," said Mr. William Wallace, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, this morning, when discussing the clause in the Electoral Act which makes provision for the first time in the history of New Zealand for voting facilities for registered electors wlio, on account of illness or infirmity, cannot attend a polling booth on the day of the general elections. These electors may fill in and send to the returning officer an application form for a postal vote certificate and postal ballot paper to enable them to vote elsewhere than at a dulyappointed polling booth. In the presence of an authorised witness, such as a per* manent officer in the service of the Government, a registered mcdical man or nurse, an officiating minister, a solicitor, a justice of the peace, or a person appointed by the returning officer, the voter may mark his ballot paper so that the authorised witness cannot see the vote. No Canvassing Allowed. The question of canvassing for votes in the Auckland Hospital and similar institutions was referred to, and Mr. Wallace said that it was a hard and fast rule, operating for many years past, of his board that no canvassers be allowed in any of the institutions under the control of the board. As regards the taking of applications for votes from electors who are in hospital at the time of the general elections, only authorised persons would be permitted to take these applications. No canvassing would be allowed. Mr. F. Evans, registrar of electors, Auckland, said this morning that not only the sick and infirm may record their votes in this manner, but also any regis- | tered elector who will not, throughout the hours of polling on election day, be within five miles by the nearest practicable route of any booth, or who will be travelling under conditions which prevent his attendance at a', booth, or who is a lighthouse keeper, or a member of his family or staff and cannot attend a booth to vote, or who will be absent £rom the Dominion on election day. Mr. Evans pointed out that while there was no prescribed period stated applications must be made in sufficient time to allow postal vote certificates and postal ballot papers reaching the applicants so that their votes would be in the hands of the returning officer before the closing of the poll. Simple. Procedure for Absent Voters. Absent voters' permits were dispensed with last election. An elector who is absent from his electoral district on election day, and. is within- reach of a polling booth anywhere outsidie the district from which he is registered, may vote as an absent voter during the.hours of polling upon satisfying the deputy returning officer that he is unable to record his vote as an ordinary elector in his own electorate. He then simply makes a written declaration upon a form provided as to the name of the electoral district on whose roll he is registered and that he is entitled to vote as an elector of that district. The correct electoral district must be stated, otherwise his vote will be disallowed. A ballot paper is handed to him containing the names of the candidates for his own district, together with a licensing voting paper or papers. He then records his vote. Haa Compulsory Registration Failed? In regard to the statement made that the system of compulsory registration had failed to achieve its objective, Mr. Evans said that the main roll closed on July 5, two months earlier than in previous election years, so that there must be more electors on the supplementary rolls than formerly. In a moving population like that of Auckland there is always a considerable number of persons who become eligible for enrolment or who have not yet qualified at the closing of the main roll, so that the 20,000 who will be enrolled on the supplementary rolls are no indication that the system of compulsory registration has failed. The canvassers employed by the various local organisations had the authority of the Electoral Department to witness and collect claims for enrolment, but they are not employed by the Department.