SOLDIERS’ VOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 24, 8 November 1940, Page 3

SOLDIERS’ VOTES.

THE PROCEDURE DEFINED (Per Press Association,. WELLINGTON, November 7. Voting in parliamentary elections by members of the forces overseas is provided for in the electoral (members of the forces) regulations, 1940, which are published with to-night’s Gazette. These regulations were envisaged in the act passed last session, and cover the procedure to he adopted in the case of parliamentary elections. For the taking of votes of soldiers serving abroad special returning officers will be appointed to supervise the recording of votes by New Zealanders. The officers will make the necessary arrangements for polling places, the distribution of voting papers the counting of votes, etc. After the poll liars been held, the returning officers will forward the results to the chief electoral officer in Now Zealand by cfiblo or other expeditious, means. Such machinery matters as the forwarding of the necesasry ballot papers to New Zealanders serving overseas are cov-

ered. An interesting provision is the definition contained in the regulations ot those eligible to vote. They will comprise all members of the forces, irrespective of ago. Members of the forces will Vote for the candidates standing lor election in their own New Zealand electorates, and they will lie requited to make a declaration that they "etc living in those electorates immediately' before going overseas. Another provision empowers the chief clcctoial officer to embody the results of soldiers’ voting in the general result or the district polls when announced.