By BERNARD ORSMAN
Electronic voting could be the way of the future after politicians from all sides turned on the Electoral Office yesterday, demanding explanations for the slow election count.
Prime Minister-elect Helen Clark promised action as returning officers beavered away on election night results.
She was appalled at the time it was taking to count votes and said it would be a priority for the regular select committee review of the election.
"What a nightmare. There is something desperately, desperately wrong," she said.
Helen Clark said it was time to look at the American system of electronic voting, particularly in cities and large towns in New Zealand.
Final election night counts continued yesterday afternoon in three Maori seats, Hauraki, Te Tai Tonga and Te Tai Tokerau, plus Auckland Central.
The Auckland Central returning officer, Walter Wilson, put the problem down to counting difficulties at several large polling booths, which had to be checked at the returning office. He did not know why there were counting difficulties.
The chief electoral officer, Phil Whelan, who predicted the final results would be known by 11 pm on Saturday, declined to comment yesterday but released a statement defending the integrity of the counting system.
He said the length of the vote count was similar to 1996, despite factors this time like counting two additional referendums.
"Staff in all of the 4426 polling places across the country were incredibly busy throughout the day taking votes for the election and the referenda. Few had any opportunity for breaks because of the constant flow of voters.
"Then once the voting closes staff immediately turn their attention to unfolding, sorting and then counting the nearly 5.5 million ballot and voting papers cast."
Mr Whelan said a "final preliminary result" was not expected until 5 pm tomorrow - nearly 72 hours after polling booths closed.
Final official counting would begin on Friday, with official results released on December 9.
The longest serving MP in Parliament, Labour's Jonathan Hunt, said that in 1972, before computers, every result was declared by 10.30 pm.
The Electoral Office said the turnout of voters - 88.28 per cent in 1996 - would not be known until all the votes had been counted.
Clark favours electronic voting
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