Polling booth closing to be investigated

Press, 7 December 1981, Page 1

Polling booth closing to be investigated

PA Timaru The Minister' of Justice (Mr McLay) wants a report on the temporary closing of the polling booth at the Timaru Show on election dayHe has sought the report from the Chief Electoral Officer (Mr P., C. Horne) after Receiving complaints that people were unable to vote at the booth for a period during the afternoon. Mr Horne said on Friday that he had asked for information on the matter from the Timaru returning officer (Mr J. A. Warner) and until the report had been sent to the Minister he would be unable to comment on the circumstances. But he said that under the Electoral Act, polling places had to remain open and if staff were under pressure, additional . staff should be provided. Mr Horne said there was provision in the act for charges to be laid as the result of booths being closed illegally. His office would decide, after investigation of the Timaru case, whether any charges would follow. A spokesman for Mr

McLay's office confirmed that the Minister had sought an inquiry. A person who was turned away from the booth, Mr Russell Leach, lodged -an official complaint with the returning officer on Friday. Mr Warner had said previously that the booth had been closed temporarily to give staff a break because the number of voters had been greater than expected. He said that the problem had been caused by Timaru people voting at the booth when they could have voted elsewhere. The booth had been provided at the show for the convenience of people who had been at the show before 9 a.m. It had not been intended that the booth would be for general use but with nearly 500 votes cast in the Timaru electorate, plus special votes in the neighbouring Waitaki and Ashburton electorates, it had become a general use one. “We did our best with the booth,” said Mr Warner, “but we got caught out because Timaru people used it when they could have voted elsewhere."