14,000 voters fail to enrol

Press, 24 July 1987, Page 2

14,000 voters fail to enrol

About 14,000 eligible voters in the Christchurch electoral district had not enrolled when the main Parliamentary rolls closed on Wednesday evening. According to figures given by the Christchurch Electoral Office last evening, about 94 per cent (252,100) of voters in 11 seats from Rangiora to Ashburton, including Christchurch city, have now been entered on the main rolls.

The figures for the entire South Island showed that out of a total of 602,336 eligible voters, 564,500 (93.7 per cent) have registered on the main roll. An electoral office spokesman, Mr Theo Bunker, described enrolments for the Christchurch area as comparable with the figures for the 1984 snap election and “right on target.” The final enrolment figures will be given next week, but Mr Bunker emphasised that the 6 per cent of individual voters who failed to meet the deadline for enrolments on the main rolls could still be included on supplementary rolls. "People can still enrol right through to election day if they feel that they have a reason to be on the supplementary roll. Eligible voters include those who turned 18 after the main rolls closed; individuals who have transferred from one electorate to another and qualify under the residency clause; and those people who returned from overseas after the deadline for the main rolls.” Voters can register on the supplementary rolls through the normal channels.

Those who fail to enrol on either roll can also apply for a special vote at polling booths on election day. Individual special votes will be subject to a series of 13 separate checks after election day to determine whether they are valid.

“That is democracy in action,” Mr Bunker said.