VOTING AT ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1930, Page 10

VOTING AT ELECTIONS.

OPTIONAL METHOD DESIEXD. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Legislation to provide for an optional method of voting at local body elections was sought by a deputation from the executive of the Municipal Association which waited on the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, to-day. The Mayor of Wanganui, Mr. W. J. Rogers, said at present it was mandatory to strike out the names of the candidates for whom the elector did not wish to vote. This, in the larger centres, had been found difficult. The executive now asked for an alteration in the law to enable local bodies to give the elector the option of voting either by of the cross against a name or by striking a line through them. The Minister: Do you not think the most simple, method is to score out the name of the person you do not desire to vote for? The cross leads to confusion. Mr. Rogers: It is a matter of opinion and it ali depends upon the method you are used to. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Troup, said it was in the counting of the votes that the real difficulty occurred, particularly with the larger local bodies'. Mr. J. O'Shea, city solicitor, Wellington, said the Auckland City Council had asked for the provision. The Minister promised to look into the matter.