VOLUNTARY VOTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 279, 24 November 1928, Page 18

VOLUNTARY VOTING.

SUCCESS IN NEW ZEALAND.

PERCENTAGE OF VOTES CAST. INCIDENTS AT THE BOOTHS. "You may take it that the percentage of enrolled electors who voted throughout tho Dominion in the recent general election is very satisfactory," a representative of the "Auckland Star" was informed to-day by an official who has been observing closely tho trend of the voting throughout New Zealand. "As to whether it will equal the excellent percentage of 1925," ho added, "will only bo seen when the official counting has been completed. That percentage was 90.02, as compared with 58.05 in 1922 and 80.53 in 1019. My feeling at present is that it may be just a little below the 1925 result." There can be little doubt that a percentage of 90.02 is one of tho best results achieved in any country where a voluntary electoral system operates. It is almost equal to the percentage of 91.31 in the Australian Federal elections of 1925, when compulsory voting was tried there for the first time. ]f>22 the percentage had been 57.95, and, in 1919, 71.33. Tho father of tho Compulsory Voting Bill in the Australian Federal Parliament (Senator 11. J. Payne) passed through Auckland two or three weeks ago, when returning from England, and he gave it as his opinion that the new law was operating with remarkably good results. He admitted that its effect thus far had been to increaso tho anti-Labour vote, the Labour party having hitherto had the greater success in getting its supporters to the polls. Compulsory voting does not operato in respect of tho Stato elections in Australia. Senator Payne remarked, however, that since the introduction of the Federal law thero had been a higher percentage of voting for tho election of members to tho Stato Parliaments. This effect was purely psychological. Voluntary System Satisfactory. It is probable that most people in New Zealand will consider that a total vote of over 90 per cent on a voluntary basis is very satisfactory and that for the time being at least the Dominion has probably gone far enough in introducing a system of compulsory registration. As an indication of tho extent to which electors exercised the privilege of the franchise in the recent election it may bo pointed out that in Roskill and Grey Lynn the total of the votes cast was over eighty-seven per cent of tho number of electors on the roll, in Auckland West it was over 80 per cent and in Parnell and Eden over 85 per cent. In Roskill the number on the roll is 14.322 and of these electors 12,568 recorded valid votes. In Grey Lvnn the number of electors is 13,501 and the number of valid votes cast was 11,790. The Auckland West roll contains 13,320 names and of these 11,499 voted. Parnell has 14,007 electors, of whom 12,090 recorded valid votes. The Eden roll contains 14,112 names and of these 11,998 electors cast effective votes.

Tho figures for Auckland East are: Number on roll, 13,510; valid votes recorded, 10,005; percentage, 81.10. For Auckland Central they are: Number on roll, 12,240; valid votes cast, 000S; percentage, 80.0.

Under the system of voluntary voting in New Zealand it may be taken for granted that tho average voter who takes the trouble to go to the poll has a personal preference in the matter of voting. At least ono exception was noted on Wednesday of last week. "Well, What Next?" A lady, on strolling into a polling booth, asked rather casually, "Well, now that I am,here, what do you wish me to do?" The returning officer furnished nor with ballot papers and asked that she should retire behind one of the screens and mark them as she desired. It is understood that tho papers were subsequently found with marks on tho wrong sides, and that they wont the way of all invalid votes,

In another instance a ballot paper when extracted from tho box was marked: "Not one of them (the candidates) is worth his salt." That also went among tho discards.

An illustration of how lightly some electors regarded their responsibilities was provided by the members of a party who declined to allow .their picnic outing to one of the bcaciies to be interfered with by their re-turn to the city in time to vote before the closing of the poll at seven o'clock. They were enjoying to the full a half holiday which had been granted for the purposes of the election.

Li the main, however, the electors of Auckland, and doubtless of other centres iu the Dominion, displayed a very fine spirit in discharging their electoral responsibilities. Further, it is probable that keener interest was displayed generally in this election than in any election for some years past.