OTAKI MAYORALTY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 219, 12 June 1933, Page 9

OTAKI MAYORALTY

Petition by Candidate VOTING AT ELECTION A petition lias been tiled in the Otaki Court on behalf of Mr. C. I’. Atmote, petitioning to have the recent Mayoral election between himself and Mr. 1. O'Rourke declared void. At the poll Mr. O'Rourke was declared elected after the recount by six votes. The grounds of the petition are as follow. 1. (a) That 79 declaration votes which were invalid were counted as valid; (b) that Sanatorium patients were wrongly permitted to vote on a residential <iualitication whicli they did not possess, and that three other votes were invalid, including a vote cast by some one unknown on behalf of a deceased elector. 2. That irregularities occurred oi the following nature:—(a) Mock voting papers with the words. ‘How to Vote printed thereon and with Mr. Atmore s name struck out were found in the polling booth on rhe day of the election: (b) mock voting papers were distributed otuside the polling booth on the dav of the election: (e) mock voting papers were exhibited inside the polling booth on the day of the election ; and (d) interference with electors on their way to the polling booth with the intention of influencing them or advising them to vote against Mr. Atmore.