BUSY ELECTORAL STAFF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 111, 13 May 1931, Page 6

BUSY ELECTORAL STAFF

CLOSENESS OF THE POLL. Very few people can correctly estimate the magnitude of the task whim faces an electoral staff recounting votes cast on issues that resulted as closely as those decided at the recenr municipal election in Wanganui. A “Chronicle” reporter was privil eged to see the staff at work last night finalising the recount of Citv Council and Harbour Board votes. Very close attention to detail had to be paid an 1 ballot papers were very closely sc rut in ised. In the Drill Ha 1 ! boot>. alone there were. 274 City Council ballot papers informal for the reason that more than the required number of can didates had been left in. The reporter was impressed with despatch with which the augmented staff of yesterday tackled its responsibility, and when it is remembered that what was done was but a following on of very important preparatory work which had to be complete before a single ballot paper was looked at, the task of establishing official figures may be better estimated. The preparatory work carried the staff from tho day after the election right up until mid-day on Alonday, and it was not until afternoon on that day that a start was made to check the votes cast in the Alayoral issue. The total number of informal votes cast in connection wilTi the City Council election this year was 684. Two

years ago there, were 797 informal votes cast on the same issue and it should be recollected that on that oc casion there were only six issues compared with nine this rear and a bigger poll.