MILLION VOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 112, 14 May 1935, Page 8

MILLION VOTES.

RECENT CIVIC POLLS.

MISTAKES MADE BY ELECTORS VOTED FOR TOO MANY. The official count for the Auckland mayoralty, City Council and city seats on the Auckland Harbour Board, Auckland Hospital Board and Auckland Transport Board was completed at the Town Hall last night.

"It is the biggest vote that it has been my lot to count," said the city returning officer, Mr. P. F. Notley. "So far I cannot give the number of votes actually cast, but it is well over a million. As far as the informal votes are concerned, the largest proportion of tlicHc was on account of the electors votili" for too many candidates. The elector may vote for less than thy requisite number, or 'plump' for one, and his voting paper will be valid, but it only requires a vote for a 22nd councillor out of the 21 candidates to make the paper void."

Mr. Notley ventured the opinion that many informal votes were the outcome either of a hick of education or of carelessness. The multiplicity of voting papers made for confusion, many poopla Hot being able to concentrate. "I think that there are too many issues to l>: , determined in one day, and voters get confueed," he added.

Referring to the Transport Board elect lon. Mr. Notley said that after his officers had completed the count Ihs figures ami papere were handed to th ■ Transport Hoard returninor officer and his (Mr. Notley's) responsibility finished. Fn the ordinary course of evrnts a Transport Board election would not (ake place concurrently with the- next municipal election ae members of tho Transport Board were elected for four years.