LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 962, 3 May 1930, Page 12

LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

OPTIONAL VOTING METHOD Press Association WELLINGTON, Friday. Legislation to provide for an optional method of voting at local body elections was sought by a deputation from tho executive of the Municipal Association which waited on the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. do la Perrelle, today. Tho Mayor >f Wanganui, Mr. W. J. Rogers, said at present it was mandatory to strike out the names of the candidates for whom tlio elector did not wish to vote. This, in the larger centres, had been found difficult. The executive now asked for an alteration in the law to enable local bodies to give the elector the option of voting either by means of the cross against a name or by striking a line through them. The Minister: Do you not think the most simple method is to score out the name of the person you do not desire to vote for? The cross leads to confusion. Mr. Rogers: It is a matter of opinion, and it all depends upon the method you are used to. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Troup, said it was in the counting of tho votes that the real difficulty occurred, particularly with the larger local bodies. Mr. J. O’Shea, city solicitor, Wellington, said the Auckland City Council had asked for the provision. Th© Minister promised to look into tho matter.