LOCAL ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1835, 22 August 1913, Page 8

LOCAL ELECTIONS.

IMPORTANT PROPOSALS. STRICTER REGULATION. DETECTING PLURAL VOTING. i The Local Elections a.nd Polls Amendl- - Bill circulated yesterday is a highly important measure which brings local elections and polls in many respects into line with Parliamentary elections. It is proposed that, as in the case of the'latter elections, full .provision shall be made for 1 the detection and punishment of plural voting, and tho conditions that apply to influencing.electors in Parliamentary are made, applicable to local elections. To a considerable extent the provisions relating to corrupt and illegal practices in connection, with Parliamentary elections ore embodied in the Bill. Generally its effect is to enforce a much stricter procedure in local elections and polls than now obtains. Corrupt Practices, It is made an/offence punishable bv a fine of not exceeding .£2O to interfere with an elector in or en route to a polling booth, to print, distribute, or deliver., on polling day, mock ballot papers or directions how to vote, or, during polling hours, to make any public demonstration having reference to the poll by means of living figures, effigies, paintings, placards, or .other like means. A fine not exceeding ,£SO or three months' imprisonment may be imposed on anyono who publishes or. exposes to 'public .view untrue statements defamatory of any candidate and calculated to influence the vote of any elector after noticc has been given of an election and before the close of the poll. Unauthorised interference with voting papers is made punishable by a fine of ,£SO. A returning officer or other official connected with a poll is liable to two years' imprisonment with or without hard labour and. any otlher person to • six months' imprisonment, who forges or counterfeits or fraudulently defaces or destroys'a voting paper, or t.lie official mark oh .a' voting paper or in various other ways interferes. with voting papers or .with the machinery of an election. Plura.l 'voting, fraudulent abstraction of voting papers, bribery, personation, treating, or unduo influence at any election are offences punishable by two years' imprisonment. The definitions in .the legislative Act of bribery, treating, undue in- | fluence,, and personation are incorporated.

Infringement of the secrecy of ian election on the pai-t of officers, clerks, scrutineers, interpreters, or others in attendance at am election is made punishable by six months' imprisonment with or without hard labour. '- Nominations. The period within which candidates must bo nominated in local elections is altered from not less than five nor more than seven days * before the election to not less than five nor more than ten days.

Section 8 of the principal Act provides that nomination papers signed by two electors and by the candidate must be delivered to the returning officer before noon, on election day. This is amended by a pro'vision, that tho assent of any

person to his nomination may bc\signified to the returning officer by letter or telegraph. A telegram shall be deemed to be delivered in timo if delivered at the telegraph office for transmission within the time limited for making nominations: A i)o\v sub-section provides that after ascertaining the number of votes recorded for each candidate the returning officer ,or his deputy shall announce the result of the voting at tho polling place of which he is in charge. Plural Voting, The provisions regarding tho counting of votes, scrutiny of rolls, etc., are greatly extended and made much.more elaborate than in the Act of 1908.. Under the new procedure the deputy returning officers; having made a preliminary count of votes, will deliver the voting papers, in sealed packets, to tlie' returning officer. Together with the packets, copies of the roll on which have been noted the fact of

any person receiving a voting paper, are to be delivered to the returning officer. The latter, official is to arrange for a scrutiny'and comparison, of tho rolls as soon as practicable after the close of the poll. Where it appears that tlie same person has received a voting-paper at two or more polling-places, the sealed packets are to be opened, such papers removed, and tho votes disallowed. Afterwards, setting aside all informal voting papers, tho. returning officer is to make an official count of the votes, and declare the elected candidates. A voting paper is to be .deemed informal if it does not beat the official mark, and there is cause to believe_ that it'wtos. not issued by the returning officer or' his deputy; if it bears unauthorised marks, if the. voter l;as voted for a number of candidates in excess of the number to bo elected, or if the voter has not clearly indicated the candidates for whom ho desires to vote. 'A candidate may apply for a recount within three days of the public declaration of. a poll. An application, for a'recount must be accompanied by a deposit of ,£lO. The re-count is to take place before a magistrate.