FEW ALTERATIONS IN REGULATIONS FOR POSTAL VOTE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23083, 22 October 1949, Page 8

FEW ALTERATIONS IN REGULATIONS FOR POSTAL VOTE

iP.A.) WELLINGTON. Oct. 22. New postal voting regulations passed yesterday by the Executive Council make a few alterations in the postal voting system for the coming general election, said the Prime Minister, Mr. P. Fraser, last nightAs formerly postal voting papers will be issued to persons who, through illness or various other reasons, cannot go to the polling booth to vote on election day. The period allowed for voting is unchanged. A voting paper may be obtained from the returning officer at any time after the issue of the writ for the election. or from a polling booth on election day. The completed voting papers must be back in the hands of the returning officer, or deposited at the booth, before the pool closes on election day.

Special provision is made in the new regulations for voting by patients in hospitals, or by the’ inmates or similar institutions. There is authority for electoral officers, accompanied by approved witnesses, to visit hospitals and provide postal votes for patients. Collectors of customs now become persons authorised to issue postal votes and will act hi respect of seamen applying to vote, Other alterations include a simpler form of declaration by a person voting and better facilities for witnessing an elector's declaration if he is voting while temporarily overseas. Voters Absent Abroad Generally, however, the procedure for voting by electors temporarily absent abroad remains the same as before. Any such elector who desires to vote at the general election on November 30 must make an application in writing for voting papers to be sent to him. This application should be made direct to the returning officer in New Zealand for his electorate. Any such application may be made at any time now. As soon as the writ is issued the returning officer will post to the voter by air mail the papers required to record a postal vote. These papers consist of a prescribed declaration to be made by the voter, voting papers both for electoral and licensing issues and envelopes in which they are to be enclosed. Directions as to completing the papers are printed on the declaration form. A declaration must be witnessed. A list of classes of people who may witness is printed on the declaration forms. They are eligible to witness even though they live outside New Zealand.

When the voter has completed the papers he must himself return them promptly to the returning officer in New Zealand- They should reach the returning officer before the close of the poll at 7 p.m. on November 30: otherwise the vote is not counted. This means that in practically every case it will be necesasry for the voter to return the papers by air mail.