ALLEGATIONS OF “ROLL STUFFING”

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 310, 25 September 1943, Page 6

ALLEGATIONS OF “ROLL STUFFING”

Warning" To Electors PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL

VOTING

Allegations of ‘‘roll stuffing’ in tart--ous electorates in New Zealand have reached “The Dominion,” and attention is therefore drawn to the heavy penalty under the Electoral Act for illegal voting. It is reported that in some electorates checking up has revealed that there aie names of persons on the rolls which cannot be traced. In some instances, it is believed, names of non-existent persons appear. . Scrutineers have been advised of suspected dummy ‘names in several electorates, and persons attempting to use such names for the purpose of voting , will be challenged. The penalties tor illegal voting are severe, offenders being liable to two years imprisonment with hard labour. .Llie relevant sections of Hie Act are as lotlows :— Section 228: “Every person commits Hie offence of personation who at any election applies for a voting paper in Hie name of some other person living or dead or .of a fictitious person, or who having voted once at any such election applies again at the same election for a ■voting-paper in his own name.’ Section 193: "(1) Every deputy returning officer may, without any other warrant than this Act, cause to be arrested and taken before a justice anv person reasonably suspected or committing or attempting to commit at a polling-place any act of personation. (2) It shall be the duty of the returning officer to institute a prosecution against any person whom he believes to have committed the offence of personation, or of aiding., abetting, counselling, or procuring the commission of that offence by any person, at the election, lie is returning officer. (3) Every, person who commits the offence ot personation, or of aiding, abetting, counselling. or procuring the commission of that offence, is liable to two years imprisonment with or without hard labour.”