ELECTORAL LAW.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 201, 23 August 1904, Page 3

ELECTORAL LAW.

THE NEW MEASURE. A SECOND BALLOT. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Electoral Act, introduced by the Colonial Seeretarv. was circulated today. It is a bulky consolidating measure and contains some important amendments of the existing law. As in the bill which lapsed last year, provision is made for the appointment of a chief electoral officer, who, under the direction of the Colonial Secretary is to be charged with the duty of carrying out the Act. A deputy electoral officer and a registrar for each electoral district are also to be appointed. Failure to deliver a claim for enrolment is made punishable by a fine of £ 20.

The holder of an elector's right may vote in the ordinary manner on production of his right. The deposit of a candidate is increased to £20, which will be forfeited if he does not receive one-fourth of the number of votes received by the successful candidate. Employers of labour are compelled under a penalty of t5 lo afford each employee a reasonable opportunity of enrolling his name on the roll, and of recording his vote. Provision is made for an elector to vote outside his district at any polling place, and the returning- officer and his deputies are made for the safe custody of ballot papers. An important feature of the bill is the provision made for the taking of a second poll. The total number of all ballot papers received at the election is to be certified to by a Justice of the Peace present at the • Court. The returning officer will then reject as informal all ballot papers that do not bear the official mark, and which there is reasonable cause to believe were not issued to a voter by any deputy returning officer, and all ballot papers whereon anything is written or marked by which the voter can be identified, and papers that do not clearly indicate the candidate for whom the elector desired to vote. He must then arrange the ballot papers by placing on separate files those given for the several candidates, and ascertain the total number of candidates so placed on each file. If he finds that any candidate has received an absolute majority of the votes recorded, he must declare that candidate to be elected. If no candidate has received an absolute majority of votes, a second poll must be taken not more than seven days from the giving of notice between the candidate wlio "received t&e hdghest' number of votes. The candidate who at the second poll received the greater number of votes will be elected. Where there is an equality of votes between any candidate and the addition of a vote would entitle one lo be elected, the returning officer must give a casting vote.

Every person liable to a fine not exceeding £20, who at an election in any way interferes with an elector, either at the polling boobh or on his way there with the intention of influencing him or advising him as to his vote, prints or distributes mock ballot papers making, a public demonstration having reference to the poll by means of living figures, effigies, painting, placards, or other like means, or retains his own or awy other ballot paper. It is also proposed to repeal section 4 of the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act, 1893, which provides tha-t nonvoters shall be struck off the roll.