Technology getting votes home

By SCOTT KARA

New Zealanders can have their say on election day whether they are in Antarctica, the middle of the ocean or Outer Mongolia, as long they have access to a fax.

Ballot papers will even be sent to voters by e-mail, says Chief Electoral Office spokeswoman Penny Gaylor, although they cannot use it to actually cast their votes because the technology is too new. Such votes will have to be sent in by fax.

"People like those out on fishing vessels can vote, thanks to technology. Anybody who wants to vote, we can make arrangements for," said Ms Gaylor said.

Special voting started last week for people who need to vote early because they will be overseas or away from their electorate on election day or whose religious beliefs do not allow them to vote on a Saturday.

New Zealand's troops in East Timor will not need technology to vote on November 27. They will have their own ballot papers, and a special returning officer will make the trip north.

There are 54 places around the world where Kiwis can place special votes, including a number of embassies and New Zealand House in London.

Although technology will make voting easier for people overseas, those placing special votes in New Zealand may find the task harder.

Auckland City councillor Dame Barbara Goodman believes the electoral offices or issuing offices where special votes can be taken are not open long enough.

She will be out of the country for the election, so she went to the electoral office in the Bledisloe Building near Aotea Square to cast a special vote.

Dame Barbara thought the hours of opening - 9 am to 4 pm - were too short to allow working people to vote.

But she became annoyed when staff there told her she could not make her special vote at the Bledisloe Building and should go to a building in Albert St.

"Great effort was made to get people on to the rolls for the forthcoming general election. Unfortunately, this has not been carried through to enable people to cast special votes," she said.

"What happened to trying to help the public to exercise their democratic right and duty?"

But Ms Gaylor said the electorate the voter was in determined what office he or she had to go to vote.

She said the cost of opening offices longer would be phenomenal because there were so many.

Issuing offices were now operating throughout the country and every effort was being made to allow people to vote, she said, even down to providing enough parking.