RETURNING OFFICER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 125, 27 May 1944, Page 4

RETURNING OFFICER

RESPONSIBLE POSITION OF' MR. C. R. WHITE Probably the most responsible per> •son in Wanganui engaged in the local body elections to-day, Mr. C. R. White, chief returning officer, has hart a busy week completing preparations for the smooth functioning of the machinery necessary for such an occasion. Yesterday he addressed his assembled deputies and their assistants on their duties for the day, outlining the requirements of deputy returning officers and poll-clerks, and at the conclusion answered questions on procedure. He reported last night, in answer to an inquiry from the “Chronicle." that everything was In readiness for an anticipated heavy poll. Mr. White has been associated with two triennial local body elections, 1941 and 1944, as chief returning officer, and also conducted a by-elec-tion in April 1940, four months after he had assumed duties as town clerk on the retirement of Mr. G. Murch. With the latter Mr. White had been associated for many years as chief assistant. Always conscious of the fact that he may have to decide an issue by lot, a returning officer has a heavy responsibility, and probably for that reason, to be strictly impartial, returning officers generally refrain from exercising the franchise to which they have every right. Probably they hope that the electors will give such a definite decision in the various Issues that the right of decision by lot will not have to be resorted to. After polling hours, which are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the chief returning officer has the responsibility of making the first count of votes and declaring the result. This will entail the examination, in a poll of 10,000 electors, of 50,000 papers, there being five separate issues. With the "cross" system of voting, in which the elector is required to place a cross in the square opposite the name of the candidate for whom he desires to vote, upwards of 300,000 crosses will have to be exarjined. These crosses, for the purpose of simplifying the counting of votes, are recorded by the clerks on graphs of twenty each, . thus facilitating the operation of assessing th“ total number of votes for each candidate. The results from the various booths are then collected by the chief returning officer.

The cross system of voting, as contrasted with the "strike out” method, has reduced considerably the number of informal votes found in recent elections, and is held to be the most suitable system where large panels of candidates cqme forward in issues.

Mr. White expressed the opinion that the result of the Mayoral election would he available shortly after 7 p.m.. and it might be possible to announce the successful councillors before 10 p.m.