VOTING AT LOCAL ELECTIONS

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27796, 22 October 1955, Page 10

VOTING AT LOCAL ELECTIONS

PRESENT SYSTEM TOO “CUMBERSOME”

“It would appear that the present system has become too cumbersome and is losing a great deal of its democratic value,” says Mr H. P. Smith, chairman of the Christchurch Citizens’ and Ratepayers’ Association, commenting on the voting system for local body elections, in his report to be presented at the annual meeting on October 31. Mr Smith suggests that to overcome some of the many disadvantages of the present system it may be advisable to revert to the ward system which was used successfully for many years. Mr Smith says that because of the size of some local bodies and the large number of candidates offering for them, it is becoming increasingly difficult for some electors to mark their ballot papers simultaneously, and when at least one of those papers may contain 50 names, then the confusion of electors, with the consequent increase in informal votes, is not difficult to understand. With so many candidates standing for the same local body it is impossible for the majority of electors to know more than a few of the people for whom they are asked to vote. “This problem is not a local one,” says Mr Smith. “We are led to believe that other centres are experiencing the same difficulties.”

Referring to the Drainage Board and Transport Board elections earlier this year Mr Smith says that as on previous occasions there was little public interest shown in spite of strenuous publicity efforts by the committee. 'Die fact that only 10 per cent, of the electors recorded their votes on that day raised the question whether these two elections should be held at the same time as the other local body elections. In spite of all efforts to get electors to the poll on that day, it could hardly be argued than a 10 per cent, voted justified calling the result “ a democratic representation.”