Although this isn’t a political blog I do need to mention (for my overseas readers) that today brings us the 2005 General Election. Polls open at 9 am and close at 7 pm and even those, like me, who dislike politics and politicians will probably be keenly interested in the outcome. Opinion polls in recent weeks have been all over the place with no clear indication of either major party having a strong lead, and the minor parties similarly being sometimes above and sometimes below the threshold of 5% of votes.
My comments here will be very general — it seems I should have written my thoughts yesterday:
Voting, elections & referendums : No campaigning on election day: The Electoral Act prohibits campaigning of any kind on election day. … It is a criminal offence to distribute or broadcast any statement that is likely to influence a voter as to the candidate or party the voter should or shouldn’t vote for, or which influences people to abstain from voting.
On election day, candidates, political parties and others must: … Not post any new material on websites.
Interesting to see that the information leaflets about voting are in English, but with key information also in Māori, Cook Islands Maori, Samoan, Tongan, Korean, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Tokelau, Niuean, Somali, Farsi, Arabic, Vietnamese and Thai, reflecting our increasingly diverse population.
My hopes: that everyone will get out and vote in the way they see best benefits this fine country and the wider world.
These Posts may interest you too:
- Tick tick – time to vote What’s that dot in the sky, I wondered? Then I realised it was a plane towing a banner. Binoculars didn’t help me read it, but my camera did the job:...
- You choose: election day in New Zealand ...
- Party spam It’s election year and things are warming up. No-one knows the election date yet, but the last possible date it can be held is Saturday, 24 September 2005. That’s now...
- 19 hour holiday … on the other hand, Election Day is the only 19 hours in each 3-year period where we get a break from mudslinging and muck-raking, jibes and retorts, accusations and...
- FirstBite News from Miraz, January 2005 I sent an email newsletter to my clients and colleagues today about my services this year. Here is part of it for those who missed out but are interested. Writing,...
Add your Comment