THE NEW SYSTEM.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 184, 19 May 1941, Page 4

THE NEW SYSTEM.

WORKED VERY SMOOTHLY. FEW INFOR.UU, VOTES. It had been anticipated that the new system of voting would have created some confusion in the minds of certain voters, but the elections proved that the .people had little trouble in following the now instructions. The number of informal votes was comparatively few, and it was remarked that- in 'the issues which were most simple the number was higher than in those where it might reasonably have been expected that confusion would arise. In the Mayoralty, where there wore only two candidates and all the voter iiad to do was to place a cross beside the name of Ins' cnosen candidate. This seemed more difficult to do than to vote for .11 of the 15 candidates in the Borough Council election. Some electors retained the old system, and these votes were allowed, as the law on the subject states that whore an elector lias clearly indicated his intention, lyhether his voting system is correct or not, the vote is to be taken. There were! some, however, who struck out names and put crosses, also, and these liad to be marked *as informal where there was a doubt as to whom the votes were to be credited.

►Speaking of the small number ot informal votes, the Returning Officer fox the Borough (Mr R. IC. Major) said on Saturday night that it had largely been due to the sample voting paper printed in the “Guardian” that tno electors know how the new system operated, and that had been the means ot saving many votes that otherwise might have been lost through the inability of electors to understand the change. Voting, lie said, had been slower than usual. I'eoplc had gone to the cubicles and had a good look at their voting papers before they set to work on them and this had slowed down the rate of voting, people remaining in the booths much longer than they generally did. The actual number ot informal votes for booths in the Borough will not be available till the official counts have been completed. Not So Many voters. In the early part of Saturday thero were steady streams of voters at the several booths in the town and it v/as taken that this was an indication that the poll Would be a very heavy one, but the rush died away and the last few hours of the polling day wore extremely quiet for booth officials. Since the elections in 1938, Allenton has been added to the Borough and it was thought that this alone would create a heavy poll. The fact is, however, that of 4193 people who were eligible to vote, only 1858 voted on the Mayoralty issue, compared with 2073 who voted out of a total of 3283 three years ago. Of 20 candidates in the three issues in the Borough, 13 polled over 1000 votes, two ot them gaining over 1400 each. The polling closed at 6 p.m., wlnre generally it lias been 7 p.m,. and this enabled the announcement of Hio results at a much earlier hour than at previous elections. TJjp Returning Officers for botli Borough and County l ad their arrangements perfectly in hand and as soon as the booths dosed the counting of the papers was startt d, extra officials being engaged to expediate this work. Scrutiny of the Rolls. The first task to be, undertaken by tho Returning Officers" and their staffs now that the election is over is tho scrutiny of the rolls which were used in the polling booths. The names of all people who voted arc marked off cn a master roll to ensure that no one voted twice. /

The scrutiny of the Borough rolls started at 9- o’clock this morning nnii the County rolls will lie started at 10 a.in. to-morrow. As soon as this work has been completed the official count of the votes will be undertaken, the Returning Officers examining all thepapers used, to make sure that they are in order. In this way there , may bo slight changes in the numbers of votes recorded by the candidates, hut in only two cases (one being a difference of eight, votes, and one a difference of three votes) is it likely that changes will occur.

It will bo a day or two before the official and final figures are announced.