VOTING PAPER PRECEDENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22968, 21 February 1938, Page 10

VOTING PAPER PRECEDENCE

The question has often been asked whether candidates whose names are at or near the top of a lengthy list on a voting paper gain an advantage. It may seem a reflection upon a section of the electorate to suggest that they find the task of voting so mentally onerous that they are liable to let the A men have it when they find that they have made too great havoc down the list, but sometimes there has seemed ground for the belief. The matter has been discussed in no flippant mood in Australia and even in regard to the no licence ballot in New Zealand concern has been felt over a rumour that the old top-line might lose precedence. After the last Commonwealth Senate elections the suggestion was made that a party g/oup with several names beginning with A had benefited by that chance. In that election the list is not made out on the simple alphabetical method but in groups, but the position of the groups is decided by each initial letter being given a numerical value. The group with the lowest '"score" wins top place, and a factor contributing to a low score is the number of early initial letters in the group. In New Zealand the straight-out alphabetical system is employed and, believing that this leads to undue handicaps for those whose names are well down the list, the Wellington City Council quite properly is to propose a change at the municipal conference. It will suggest that the name of each candidate should be printed first on an equal number of ballot papers. This method would, however, result in muddle where there is a multiplicity of booths. It would be more satisfactory to draw lots for the place each name should occupy.