The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1928. VOTING BY POST.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17946, 3 May 1928, Page 8

The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1928. VOTING BY POST.

Tlie first gentle reminder that the general election is due this year, comes witli the evidence that the Electoral Department is swinging into action for the big undertaking. Already there is activity electors who are not on the roll, while there is increasing interest in what may be regarded as the machinery of the eleotion arrangements. One of the most interesting innovations to be introduced this year* is postal voting’. In the general election campaign, postal voting can he pvailed of hv the following classes of electors: Those absent from New Zealand on polling day; t-hpse who throughout the hours of polling on polling day will not be within five miles by the nearest practicable route of any polling place; those 1 who throughout the hours of polling on polling day will be travelling under conditions which will preclude their attendance at any polling place to vote; those ill or infirm, and who by reason of such ' illness or infirmity' will be precluded from attending at any* polling place to vote; those who by approaching' or recent maternity will be precluded from attending at. ally polling place to vctfe; and light-house-keepers, their staffs, and families. A recent issue of the ■‘‘gazette’* contains particulars of thi| special facilities afforded persona entitled to exercise a postal vote. Each such person must make written application to tlie returning officer of the electoral district in which they are registered and fill in a prescribed form giving particulars as to why they cannot attend a polling place on election day. The form is to be signed in the presence of an authorised witness, who may he a permanent officer in the service of the Government, a registered medical practitioner, a registered nurse, a registered midwife, a registered maternity nurse, an officiatingminister under the Marriage Act, 1908, a solicitor, a Justice of the Peace, or a person appointed in that behalf either generally or for that particular case or cases by the returning officer. No candidate or person employed b,, a political party or organisation interested in a licensing poll pr election shall' act as a witness. Postal vote certificates and postal ballot-papers may be issued at any time during ordinary office hours'after the issue of the writ and before the time prescribed for the close of the poll. If the applicant- signs by'making his mark or with an illiterate signature, he may on his application, f'pr the purpose of identification, add, follcnying his signature, any three numerals arbitrarily selected which,he intends shall he added to his signature oh the postal-vote certificate, So as to connect the signature on the application with the signature on the postal-vote certificate to he subsequently signed by bint Votes on the licensing issue may be exercised in a similar manner to that of the election of candidates. Unquestionably, the new provisions will be highly appreciated by electors who, • for various reasons, are debarred from exercising the franchise. It is likely - there will be a large number avail themselves of the special facilities. But the bona fides of every applicant for the right to exercise a postal vote will be closely 'scrutinised, and ample precautions will be taken to guard against imposition and fraud. For example, the regulations provide that no person shall sign his name as a- witness until he has first taken steps ascertain the veracity of the statements made by. the applicant, for a postal vote certificate. “All postal ballot-papers and certificates,” says one regulation, “have to react the returning officer before tile poll closes, otherwise they will be rejected as informal.” It has been said that the provision of voting by post might, open the door to corruption, since it wp-uld he possible for unscrupulous electors to gain an advantage. But the regulations seem to make the necessary safeguards by providing that when exercising his postal vote the elector 1 shall exhibit to an authorised witness his liallpt-paper (unmarked) ana postal vote certificate. The elector is then to sign the postal vote certificate, c>" affix his mark and selected numerals which he placed for purposes of identification on his application form, and the witness is then to sign his name on the certificate. Without, letting the witness see the vote, hut in his presence, the elector shall then Write on the ballot-paper the name of tlu candidate for whom he wishes to vote and fold it so- that it cannot he seen. The' ballot-paper and postal vote certificate are then to be placed in an envelope addressed to the returning officer of the district in which the elector is registered. The regulations provide for drastic penalties, and breaches of the regulations are punishable by a fine up to ,£IOO or imprisonment for twelve months. The new privilegesi will no doubt be warmly appreciated by many worthy people, and we flo not see any reason to assume that there is any . more risk of corrupt practice being- attempted in connection with postal voting than exists under' the present svstern.