ACT files for judicial recount of Rangitikei electorate
Wednesday 15th Dec 1999
Richard Prebble
Media Release -- Governance & Constitution
ACT Leader Hon Richard Prebble said today that the ACT Party had filed in
the District Court for a recount of the vote in the Rangitikei electorate.
"In Rangitikei the returning officer has admitted that 100 votes are
missing. As both National and Labour have publicly stated, the loss of
votes raises serious questions over the integrity of the whole election.
How were these votes lost? Why were these votes lost? Are other votes not
counted? "Last week Labour was indicating that there might be a full
electoral petition and we had expected Labour to at least request a
recount. This week, now Labour has realised that if its Rangitikei
candidate is successful it will be at the expense of a Labour list MP, the
party has lost interest. "ACT believes that political parties have a duty to
uphold the integrity of the poll. "It is our duty to request a recount when
there is a possibility that the wrong candidate has been elected. ACT
also wants a District Court Judge to examine this election result. Next
year when a parliamentary select committee holds an enquiry into the 1999
election, the report of the District Court Judge into what has really gone
wrong in the Rangitikei electorate will be invaluable. "ACT does not
expect the recount to take very long unless the irregularities are greater
than we have been advised. ACT does not expect the recount to delay the
calling of Parliament, but that is not a reason not to exercise our
statutory duty to insist on a recount to be assured the election result
is correct," Mr Prebble said.
ENDS
For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact
the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.