Election law denies absentee electors a say

27 August 2010: A flaw in local government electoral law is denying
democracy to voters out of the country between when ballot papers are posted
and when the poll is held.

Electors likely to be absent are unable to vote before ballot papers are delivered
between September 17 and September 22 and their only hope is for the papers
to be mailed to an overseas address.

“This is a travesty for someone overseas during the election period,” according
to Graeme Hunt, a North Now candidate for the Albany ward of the Auckland
Council.

“The whole postal voting system is slapdash in the extreme. It has led to poor
turnouts in local elections and the chances of fraud and irregularities are high.

“People should be able to pre-vote before the ballot papers are distributed.
That is something we should expect from a robust and democratic electoral
system.”

Hunt is part of the independent North Now team contesting council, local board
and district health board seats on the North Shore and North Harbour.

ENDS

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