THE STRAW BALLOT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 90, 16 July 1943, Page 4

THE STRAW BALLOT

IF a recent "straw vote" taken in New Zealand reflected the opinion of a true cross-section of the community, several interesting political developments have been revealed. The difficulty has been, in New Zealand, to obtain a fairly representative: vote in such an unofficial ballot. If such could be obtained with reasonable certainty and there is no reason why it should not, straw polls would provide a useful test of public opinion on many important subjects, free from the heat and confusion of election campaigns. The: poll under discussion "elected a new Parliament," but more important than the figures arrived at were the revelations of the thought processes of the voters. The results suggested among other things that in their private minds electors respect men and politics rather than parties. Obviously many people vote against their own convictions. More than 60 per cent, of those whose votes were recorded expressed a preference for independent candidates rather than party supporters. And yet when the day of the election arrives it will no doubt be found that the old party prejudice will prevail. It always has been so., Again, preferential voting was strongly favoured, but that system has not been adopted. On the question of the right of recall of a member of Parliament before the expiry of his term the "straw voters" were most emphatic that such a right should be retained. Women especially were convinced on that point. The general conclusion from the poll is that Parliament is not wholly, if largely, a reflex of the private opinion of the electorate—unless in fact the general electon does disclose a changed approach to the official polling booth.