THE ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1928, Page 4

THE ELECTIONS

DUTY OF ENROLLING, INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY

The law does not compel every person to vote in a Purliamontfiry election, hut it does sny that every duly qualified elector shall register as shell. The onus of doing this lies on tho elector himself and the sin of omission renders him liable to prosecution. Registrars of electors provido full facilities for enrolment and electoral rolls have been deposited in all tho post offices and in many small stores throughout tho town and country, for the express purpose of their beiiife inspected. , The elector himself must make the inspection, and if his inline does not appear, he must fill in the form supplied, and his name will lie put on.

Often persons eligible to cast a vote disregard what should ho considered a duty and a privilege. Others who wish to vote and ivho know their names aic not on tho roll aro in a quandary ns to the procedure of getting enrolled. Parliamentary rolls for General Elections must not he confused with MUnicijud rolls for election of Mayo:and Councillors. Because a person’s name is here it does not follow it will be on the General Roll. Tho two have no connexion. Officers come round an I enrol persons on the municipal rolls, liut this is not done in the case of Parliamentary trills ; here the first step for enrolment lies always with tho elector. ELIGIBILITY.

Of course every inhabitant is not qualified to lie an elector. ’I he two main conditions are that he must, at. the time of enrolment, have lived in New Zealand for at least a year, and in the electoral district for which lie enrols for at least tjiree months. Also he must lie a British subject by birth or naturalisatio'n, and must have attained the age of twenty-one.

Thus, ali Chinese are not allowed a vote. Those who have been naturalised (this includes the majority in New Zealand) are, and those whose birthplace was Hoiig-Kong can vote by virtue of being British subjects. But those born in Chinese territory, and who have not been naturalised, cannot vote. change of address. If all elector changes his address from one electoral district to another, it is encumbent on him to notify the liegistrai' of Electors. When he has hech three months in his new district ho must then apply -to he put on tlie roll for that district. Until then lie has all the privileges of an elector of ills former district, find should an election intervene lie has the right of voting iii liis old district. NEW ELECTORS. New electors cause registrars most difficulty because their names appear nowhere on the rolls until they make application themselves. Tims persons who have come of age, or have completed twelve months’ residence often miss the rolls unless they know they are supposed to enrol and do it, or unless they are beaten up by Party or licensing organisers, who usually search the different districts thoroughly. ABSENT VOTING. The absent voting system is a facility v'-oreby those who are absent from their place of residence on election day can record their votes for the candidates in their own electorates. An elector from Westland could walk into any booth at Auckland or at the Bluff for example, oil polling day, and record hiii vote for the electorate he lived in. Hitherto fi permit was necessary, but this lias been done away with, ’l’lie seaman votes on tho same system, except that he can record his vote at aiiy tiifio between tho issuing of tho writ for the election and the close of tho poll. POSTAL VOTING.

At the forthcoming election postal voting will lie instituted for the first time in New Zealand. Various sections of electors who formerly were disenfranchised hy circumstances will now benefit by this. Ft is'available for those who, on polling day, will bo absent from New Zealand, and those not within five miles of a polling place; those who are precluded hy travelling from getting to a booth; those who ■through illness or infirmity cannot go to tlie polling place or in tlie ease cf women, those whom approaching or recent maternity prevents from going; tiiose who live in a lighthouse. Persons who desire to use this facility must apply to tlie Registrar for their district some time between the issuing of tlie writ and tlie closing of tlie poll.

THE ROLLS. The General Rolls were closed on Jiily 6th aml have been printed and circulated. People who have applied since will go on the supplementary rolls, which will he open until 0 p.m., on the day the writ for tl-.e election is isslled.