VOTING BY SOLDIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24450, 8 November 1940, Page 8

VOTING BY SOLDIERS

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS SPECIAL PROVISION MADE NO AGE LIMITATION; (Per United- Press Assgoi^mm. .-■A .WELLINGTON;-: Nov. <7. Voting in parliamentary/ Sections by members .of the forces overseas, is ! provided for in the Electoral-(Members cf Forces) Regulations, 1940; which were published with:,: to-night's - Gazette. These regulations .were /foreshadqwea in an Act- passed, last session,'-'and cover the prbcedure td beV aaoptedm the case of parliamentary elections/for the taking of the votes of soldiera.servipg abfoad. '>■".- "._■-'"'' •;■;,;, Special returning' officers : will,be. -appointed to supervise, the :reG6rd-tng of votes and they will make. the : necescary arrangements for v polling places, the 'distribution of voting ■•papers.,- the counting of votes,, etc,, /After''the. poll has been held, the. returning -Officers will forward the result's »to.;.th J e., Chief electoral .officer Zealand by cable or other expeditious me'ans-..Such machinery matters as tbe-'foyw,arding of the necessary ballot,papers to. New Zealanders ~ serving overseas : are covered. .'•'," . . (■':'%.' , a An interesting provision is the dennition contained in the regulations of those who are eligible to vote They Will comprise all members of the forces irrespective of age)' Members of the forces will vote for candidates standing for election in their own New Zealand electorates, and they will be required to make a declaration that tney were residing in those electorates immediately prior to their going overseas. ........ Another provision empowers aie chief electoral officer to. embody/the results of the soldier's' voting in the general result of the district polls when they are announced.