ELECTIONS ON WEEK DAYS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24816, 5 March 1946, Page 4

ELECTIONS ON WEEK DAYS

TODAY’S RAGLAN POLL

GENERAL CHANGE FROM SATURDAY LIKELY To-day’s Raglan by-election is the first Parliamentary poll held on a week-day for nearly 10 years. It is likely that this is an indication of a change from Saturday for all elections, including those of local bodies. The Chief Electoral Officer (Mr A. G. Harper) explained yesterday, in a telephone interview with “The Press,” that the change from midweek elections to Saturday polls was the result of the general adoption of Saturday as the weekly half-holiday. That had made Saturdav particularly suitable, because electors did not have to get time off work to vote. However, the position had changed since then, because Saturday was now in many cases a full holiday. This made it inadvisable to hold st poll on a Saturday, because the absence of many people from their homes and the effect generally of a whole holiday would tend to reduce substantially the number of votes cast. The day of the week was#not fixed by statute for Parliamentary elections and the most suitable day could be chosen. Mr Harper pointed out that the case of local body elections was different Under an amendment to the Local Elections and Polls Act in 1941 it was specified that polls must be held on a Saturday. That was still the law, but, although there had been no pronouncement on the question, consideration would have to be given to amending it in the light of present conditions. The last Parliamentary poll on a week-day was the Manakau (now Onehunga) by-election in September, 1936. when Mr A. G. Osborne was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the appointment of the Rt. Hon. W. J. Jordanas High Commissioner in London. The 1938 General Election was held on a Saturday. .