METHODS OF VOTING.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20862, 23 May 1933, Page 8

METHODS OF VOTING.

MARKS OR CROSSES PREFERRED. MR FREEMAN'S REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL. A strong recommendation that if the city elections are again conducted under the first-past-the-post system the positive method of voting by marks or crosses should be substituted for the negative method of striking out names was contained in the report on the recent elections, which the Substitute Returning Officer (Mr Albert Freeman) submitted to the Christchurch City Council last night. During the last session of Parliament, Auckland secured authority to return to this method under the terms of the Auckland City Empowering Act. The returning officer for the Wellington municipal elections has made the same recommendation, and legislation authorising Wellington to make the change is to be introduced when Parliament resumes. Election Night Advantage. ''While admitting that under the proportional representation system no definite result is conveyed except in respect of candidates who have secured a large number of first preferences, the preliminary count under the first-past-the-post system would take a much longer time, specially when, as in the councillors' issue, the erasure of 27 names would be necessary before a voting paper became valid," stated Mr Freeman. "If the first-past-the-post system is again introduced into these elections I strongly recommend that a positive form of voting by a mark or a cross should be reinstated, a recommendation also made by the returning officer for the Wellington municipal elections and by a special local act in force in Auckland. But whatever objection is taken to the proportional representation system it has the saving grace of being the quickest method for ascertaining the preliminary count at the polling booths, as the first preference only on each paper is then required." Percentages of Informal Votes. Mr Freeman appended an interesting table showing the numbers of votes, the systems under which they were cast, and the percentages of informal papers at each of the elections since 1917:

*lf the informal votes (753) made by misnumbering only are taken into consideration, the proportion of such votes is reduced to about 2.5 per cent. The table shows plainly that the lowest percentages of informal votes were recorded under the method of marking with crosses (flrst-past-the-post system) and very much the highest percentage (17.7 per cjnt.) under the method of striking out names with the same system. Details of Informalities. In the following table Mr Freeman compared the percentages of informal votes polled in each of the four elections of 1931 and 1933:

In the City Council election the informal votes were classified as follows: Old system of marking, either by Xor striking out names 423 Misnumbering, either by leaving out or duplicating one of the figures, 1, 2, and 3 753 Blank .. •• ..162 Total .. .. •• 1338 Votes by Declaration. Of the 1569 votes recorded by declaration, only 63, equal to 4 per cent., were allowed. Mr Freeman commented: "Unbridled use is made of this means of voting by many not entitled to do so, but it is better to accept declarations which have no valid claim than to disfranchise an elector whose name had inadvertently been omitted from the- roll." The district electors' roll contained the names of 50,705 electors, of whom approximately 57 per cent. voted as against 63.3 per cent. at. the 1931 elections.

Informal Votes. Per Year, System. cast. cent. 1917 P.R. 17,476 4.6 1919 Ward; first-past-post, choice marked by X 12,957 2.7 1921 P.R. 14,685 7.1 1923 P.R. 19,099 8 1925 First-past-post, whole electorate (choice marked by X) 22,915 2 1927 First-past-post, whole electorate (strike out names) 28,149 17.7 1929 P.R. 30,953 4.7 1931 P.R. 32,556 5.2 1933 P.R, 29,456 4.5*

1933. 1931. Per Per Issue. cent. cent. 1. Mayor 1.78 1.03 2. Councillors 4.5 5.2 3. Hospital Board 4.25 5.2 4. Harbour Board 5.4 5.8