Papatoetoe poll roll investigations continue
Auckland: Investigators have revealed that the number of incorrectly registered voters in Papatoetoe, originally estimated to be 306 may be more than 1000.
The Registrar of Electors in their earlier investigation into enrolment irregularities in the electoral roll for the Papatoetoe area of Auckland had removed 306 enrolments.
Last week, investigations spread to Hastings, Hamilton and Tauranga and people living there have allegedly been enrolled in the Papatoetoe subdivision of the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board.
The New Zealand Herald reported that Murray Wicks of the Electoral Enrolment Centre said the 306 people dropped from the roll included seven from Tauranga, eight from the Western Bay of Plenty and 291 from Auckland, mostly South Auckland.
Meanwhile, a field officer contracted to the Electoral Enrolment Centre to enrol Indian community voters has denied being involved in the alleged scam.
The investigation began last month after the Registrar of Electors identified apparent enrolment irregularities in relation to the addresses a number of people had been enrolled at.
Some 87 names – nearly all of them Indian sounding and a majority of them having “Singh” as the last name – were found to be registered to two modest sized Papatoetoe homes.
The four candidates of Indian origin blamed rivals for playing dirty tricks on them and at press time no person had come forward to indicate who might have been responsible for the mass registrations from the two addresses.
Police conducted raids at business establishments and homes in Papatoetoe and surrounds as part of their investigations into the enrolments.
Detective Inspector Mark Gutry, crime manager with Counties Manukau Police, said "properties of interest" were searched by up to 40 police following a complaint from the Electoral Enrolment Centre.
Meanwhile the Registrar of Electors has invalidated the enrolments after establishing the people did not reside at the addresses stated on the enrolment forms and has informed the Auckland Electoral Officer, who is responsible for conducting the local elections.
Any votes for the upcoming local elections received from the individual enrolments, that have been declared invalid, will be removed from the count.
The Registrar of Electors is contacting the people affected and providing assistance to request special voting papers for the local elections area where they live.
“New Zealand has a strong record of integrity in enrolment and voting,” says Murray Wicks, National Manager of the Electoral Enrolment Centre. “The accuracy of the electoral roll is something we work hard to maintain through extensive checks and monitoring.”
The police inquiry into the irregularities is continuing. "If people do have concerns about irregularities in the Papatoetoe ward then it's important they have the confidence to speak up and get in touch with us," Detective Inspector Gutry said.
Auckland: Investigators have revealed that the number of incorrectly registered voters in Papatoetoe, originally estimated to be 306 may be more than 1000.
The Registrar of Electors in their earlier investigation into enrolment irregularities in the electoral roll for the Papatoetoe area of...
Auckland: Investigators have revealed that the number of incorrectly registered voters in Papatoetoe, originally estimated to be 306 may be more than 1000.
The Registrar of Electors in their earlier investigation into enrolment irregularities in the electoral roll for the Papatoetoe area of Auckland had removed 306 enrolments.
Last week, investigations spread to Hastings, Hamilton and Tauranga and people living there have allegedly been enrolled in the Papatoetoe subdivision of the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board.
The New Zealand Herald reported that Murray Wicks of the Electoral Enrolment Centre said the 306 people dropped from the roll included seven from Tauranga, eight from the Western Bay of Plenty and 291 from Auckland, mostly South Auckland.
Meanwhile, a field officer contracted to the Electoral Enrolment Centre to enrol Indian community voters has denied being involved in the alleged scam.
The investigation began last month after the Registrar of Electors identified apparent enrolment irregularities in relation to the addresses a number of people had been enrolled at.
Some 87 names – nearly all of them Indian sounding and a majority of them having “Singh” as the last name – were found to be registered to two modest sized Papatoetoe homes.
The four candidates of Indian origin blamed rivals for playing dirty tricks on them and at press time no person had come forward to indicate who might have been responsible for the mass registrations from the two addresses.
Police conducted raids at business establishments and homes in Papatoetoe and surrounds as part of their investigations into the enrolments.
Detective Inspector Mark Gutry, crime manager with Counties Manukau Police, said "properties of interest" were searched by up to 40 police following a complaint from the Electoral Enrolment Centre.
Meanwhile the Registrar of Electors has invalidated the enrolments after establishing the people did not reside at the addresses stated on the enrolment forms and has informed the Auckland Electoral Officer, who is responsible for conducting the local elections.
Any votes for the upcoming local elections received from the individual enrolments, that have been declared invalid, will be removed from the count.
The Registrar of Electors is contacting the people affected and providing assistance to request special voting papers for the local elections area where they live.
“New Zealand has a strong record of integrity in enrolment and voting,” says Murray Wicks, National Manager of the Electoral Enrolment Centre. “The accuracy of the electoral roll is something we work hard to maintain through extensive checks and monitoring.”
The police inquiry into the irregularities is continuing. "If people do have concerns about irregularities in the Papatoetoe ward then it's important they have the confidence to speak up and get in touch with us," Detective Inspector Gutry said.
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