Betting On Elections Is Illegal

Northern Advocate, 1 October 1938, Page 11

Betting On Elections Is Illegal

“I \Vould sooner back the Govern-/ ment’s chance than racehorses. It is a better bet,” said the Prime Minister, referring to election prospects in his Christchurch address. Actually, however, the Prime Minister, in facetious mood, was advising a dangerous policy, even more sc, perhaps, than patronising bookmakers. A number of Northland citizens, who are promenading with rolls of notes in their pockets offering to wager on the results of the election, share the Prime Minister’s misapprehension of the real position. Consultation of the Electoral Act 1927, shows that betting on elections is anything but a safe practice. In fact, it is an offence carrying a penalty. Section 232 paragraph c of the Act states that a person making any wager, bet or any other risk of any nature on the result of an election commits an illegal practice and is liable lo a fine of £2O. Plural Voting. Another little known section of the same Act concerns plural voting.

.Section 167 paragraph 4 states that personification (dual voting) makes the person responsible liable to two years’ imprisonment with or without hard labour, or a fine of. £IOO. This applies to any person who, at an election, applies for a voting paper in the name of any other person living or dead or of a fictitious person, or, who having voted once, applies again for a voting paper in his own name. The Act stipulates that a deputy returning officer may have any such person arrested without a warrant.