May 11 closing date for revision of roll

Press, 4 May 1984, Page 2

May 11 closing date for revision of roll

Newly enrolled electors and those who had responded to the roll revision would receive acknowledgement cards from the Post Office after June 22.

Mr Bunker said that the latest update on the pro-, gress of the roll revision was released on April 11. At that time, the best ■ response in his area was in ; Ashburton, where nearly 94 per cent of electors had replied.

The lowest response was in the Christchurch Central electorate, where 80 per cent of electors had replied. This was to be expected because the area had a big flatting population. More than 23,000 roll revision forms were sent out in the electorate and about 3700 were returned marked “gone no address.” But ; there had been 2000 new enrolments in the electorate so far.

In April, 86 per cent of electors in Fendalton and Lyttelton had responded to the roll revision. Selwyn and Sydenham had an 87 per cent response. Christchurch North, Rangiora and St Albans had an 88 per cent

response and nearly 89 per cent had replied in Yaldhurst.

Of all the seats throughout the country, the lowest response rate was in the four Maori seats, where about 70 per cent of electors had replied to the roll revision. Mr Bunker said that well over 90 per cent of electors would be on the rolls by the time of the General Election. The Post Office took responsibility for the electoral rolls for the 1981 election and the system, which had been upgraded since then, worked very smoothly. The final rolls will be printed after writ day, which is normally 30 days before the election. Electors who are not on the roll in July can still enrol until writ day by filling in the form at the Post Office.

People who become qualified to vote between writ day and election day, either because they turn 18 in that time or qualify to vote in a new electorate because they have lived there for three months, are entitled to a late enrolment. They will have to cast a special vote because their names will

not appear on the printed roll. Mr Bunker said that some people criticised the Post Office because they were confused over the threemonth residential qualification. People who have shifted house but have lived in their new electorate for less than three months will be included in the roll for their old electorate. Their names will be transferred to the roll for their new electorate in the final rolls. He also emphasised that the information requested on the enrolment forms was confidential. The only details that were made available were those included in the electoral rolls and the habitation index. People where asked to give their date of birth, but this was only to avoid confusion between people who had the same names.