Ticks and crosses

Press, 15 June 1979, Page 12

Ticks and crosses

Sir, — An alternative to the present system of marking ballot papers in Parliamentary elections would be to abandon the practice of crossing out the names of candidates for whom the voter does not wish to vote and replace it with a requirement to place a tick, cross or other mark of approbation in a. box beside the selected candidate’s name. The crossing-out method is a negative and unnatural way to vote. Any voter who ticks, crosses or otherwise marks more than one box can only expect that such a vote would be invalid. The paper should state this and advise the voter of his right to obtain a new paper if he spoils one. Since electoral courts appear to interpret the Electoral Act so strictly as to eliminate any expression of intention other than the crossing-out method (despite the proviso to Section 115 (2) (a)ii ) further amendment to the system is necessary. — Yours, etc.,

D. J O’ROURKE, June 13, 1979.

Sir, — I do not understand your objection to a ballot paper instruction to “Indicate on the ballot paper the candidate for whom you wish to vote”-, since this seems to me a good operational description of what is really required, and avoids the idiomatic expression “strike out.” As a computer systems designer I would begin with the objective of ensuring that every voter left the booth knowing that he or she had cast a valid vote for the desired candidate. That means .checking the vote at the time it is made, and giving an affirmative response if it is valid, or an opportunity to correct it if it is not. In principle this could be done either by human or by machine scrutiny, but it may be cheaper to satisfy the secrecy requirements with machines. Better results might be obtained by ensuring that suitable people discussed the required procedures with voters. — Yours, ■ ALAN WILKINSON. June 13, 1979.

Sir, — In your reply to the letter of Alan Wilkinson (June 13) you doubt the worth of an instruction such as, “ ‘lndicate on the ballot paper the candidate for whom you wish to vote.’ This is what the present practice seems to be.” Surely Sir this is what the election is meant to be. A simple solution would be to have the candidates’ names clearly printed where they could be seen in the voting cubicle and the voting paper a blank sheet on which the voter could print the name of his or her choice. Those who

could not read or write or had language difficulty might be willing to forgo secrecy and use available help in order to ensure that their vote was properly recorded. — Yours, etc., ALEC MARCON. June 13, 1979.