ELIGIBLE TO VOTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1943, Page 3

ELIGIBLE TO VOTE

AT GENERAL ELECTION ALL OVERSEAS SERVICEMEN. POSITION OUTLINED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. | Irrespective of age, all members of the New Zealand forces overseas will be eligible to vote in the general election this year, stated the chief electoral officer, Mr G. G. Hodgkins, yesterday. This, however, did not apply to those carrying out service duties in New Zealand. In their case, no person under 21 years would have a vote, leaving them on the’ same basis as civilians. Under section 4 of the Electoral Amendment Act, 1940, it was pointed out, rights of franchise were granted to every member of the forces for the time being out of New Zealand. The Electoral Members of the Forces Regulations, 1941, defined a “member of the forces” as meaning any person who, ordinarily resident in New Zealand, is for the time being a member of H.M. naval, military or air forces, or a volunteer and/or member of any other volunteer organisation. During the Great War soldiers overseas had a vote on the licensing issue, but not the electoral, and in that case, too, they voted irrespective of the age minimum operating in New Zealand. With information made available by the authorities, a special roll had been maintained of all men who had gone on active service overseas. When an election was anticipated toward the end of 1941, the special roll was sent overseas in ample time for the men there to record their votes, and two electoral officers were sent to the Middle East to act in a supervisory capacity, but neither the roll nor their services were required. Similar arrangements would be made for the coming general election, which would be the first time that servicemen on. active service overseas would exercise their franchise on an electoral issue.