HOW THE ELECTIONS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 144, 10 November 1870, Page 7

HOW THE ELECTIONS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED.

The Act passed last session provides for all ensuing Elections to be conducted by Ballot. After a poll shall stand appointed, the ballot papers are to be printed according to the following form :—: — Electoral District of Candidates' name (arranged in alphabetical order of surnames). A.B. CD. &c. Either booths or rooms are to be hired or provided by the "Returning Officer, but no booth shall be in any house licensed for the sale of liquors. Each booth is to be so arranged that there shall be one or more inner compartments, opening only into that part of the booth in which the ballot-box is kept. Each candidate may appoint one person to be a scrutineer on his behalf, and no other person except the Returning Officer, or his Deputy, the Poll Clerks and voters engaged in voting (limited to six in number) are to enter the polling-room. The ballotbox is to be exhibited open, arid empty, before proceedings commence, and then to be locked. A person wishing to vote is first to state to the Heturnin°" Officer his name, Arc, and the' Returning Officer is then to see that his name is upon the Electoral Roll of the District. He is entitled to ask him if he is the person whom he represents to be, also, if he has voted elsewhere at that election, and if he is 21 years of age. He is also entitled to require him to make a solemn declaration that he has not been bribed to vote. The Returning Officer is then to .vrite on die back of one of the ballot papers as near as he can to the lower edge thereof, the number corresponding to the number set opposite each person's name in the Electoral Roll, mark the paper conspicuously with a stamp, give the elector the ballot paper. The voter is then to retire alone to some unoccupied compartment of the polling booth, strike out the names of the candidates for whom he does not intend to vote, fold the paper up and deposit it in the ballot-box in the presence of the Returning Officer, displaying the stamp on the back as he " posts " it. If the voter is blind, or unable to read, the Returning Officer is to strike out the names of the candidates for him. If any person shall take any ballot paper out of the booth, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and liable to two years' imprisonment. If any person enters the compartments while another person is in, he is liable to a fine of £60. At the close of the poll, the officer presiding is, in the 'presence of the scrutineers, to open the box and ascertain the number of votes registered, for each candidate ; and then the-papera are to be made up and sent to the Olei-k of the Houee of Representatives. There is provision made for the case in which an elector votes at two places in the same election ; and if any one of the officers or scrutineers divulge the secret for which candidate any one voted, he shall be guilty of a. misdemeanour.