Progress on voting issues

14/10/2004

APPROACH TO OFFICE OF AUDITOR-GENERAL

• All Councils affected by the Elections.com/Datamail holdup on counting election results have agreed to each approach the Office of the Auditor-General seeking confirmation that the election results they eventually announce have been accurately counted.

• This approach by these Councils relates only to elections handled by the companies Electionz.com and Datamail under the STV system. First Past the Post elections and STV elections handled by other companies are not affected.

• The approach to the Auditor-General is to seek assurance:
  • that the reasons why the issue occurred have been identified,
  • that processes exist ensuring that all votes will be processed effectively into the STV calculator, and
  • that the processes have been followed and evidence exists that the controls have operated.

RESULTS

• The Department of Internal Affairs has been told by Electoral Officers that they intend to release only final results after the counting process has been assured by the Office of the Auditor General and will not be releasing further progress results.

• Final results have now been issued for FPP elections and for six STV elections not handled by Electionz.com and Datamail.

STATUS OF EXISTING AUTHORITIES AND BOARDS AND THEIR MEMBERS

• The Department has confirmed that all councillors continue in office until the their successors are declared elected. The term of elected members of District Health Boards in any case runs until December 5 2004.

• Mayors, Councils and District Health Boards continue to have all their powers and responsibilities while final results are awaited.

Contact: Colin Feslier, Manager, Communications 0274 575 676