Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 182
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
File 61/534: Elections and polling facilities, 1953-58
Postal voting had been abolished by the McGirr Government (in
the 1949 amendment to the Parliamentary Electorates and
Elections Act), except for people who lived more than five miles
from a polling booth. This, MLAs claimed, apparently
disenfranchised many thousands of voters — electors on active
service with the Armed Forces abroad or interstate, and those
civilians in another State on election day being particularly
mentioned.
CGS 12060,
File 61/534 in
[12/8595]
Includes letters/representations from MLAs about the issue;
representations from individuals such as members of ships' crews
who were unable to exercise their right to vote; representations
from such organisations as the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen
and Women Taylor's Arm Sub-branch on behalf of soldiers on
active service, the Federated Chamber of Commerce of the
•
Northern Tablelands and North-western Slopes re disenfranchised
voters absent on polling day; resolutions carried at annual
conferences of the Farmers and Settlers' Association of NSW to
have postal voting restored in State elections, and similar
resolutions at the May 1956 General Conference of the Country
Women's Association and of the NSW Division of the Liberal Party
of Australia; advice on whether outside polling facilities possible
under the legislation; advice from the Electoral Commissioner on
the subject of representations; request from Agent General in
London concerning voting arrangements in England; newspaper
clippings; and extracts from Hansard.
Also contains papers relating to the provision of voting or polling
facilities for electors who will be outside NSW on polling day,
including absent voting and postal voting as alternative methods
of allowing electors their vote; postal voting facilities; suggestion
that facilities be made available at polling booths for persons to
enrol;
Other papers include: an extract from second reading speech by
the Chief Secretary, the Hon J M Baddeley in connection with the
Parliamentary Electorates and Elections (Amendment) Bill of 1949
The Government is firmly convinced, moreover, that it is highly
desirable in attaining the greatest purity in the electoral system
that as many people as practicable should vote in the presence
of properly authorised officials who are appointed by the
electoral authorities. It is only by insisting on the observance of
this sound principle to the fullest possible extent that
malpractices will be reduced to a minimum.
File 67/748: Triennial election of Members of the Legislative
Council, 1954-70
CGS 12060,
[14/4556]
This file relates to the triennial elections of 15 Members of the
Legislative Council, commencing with the 7th triennial election.
Elections under the Constitution (Legislative Council Elections) Act
had to be held within six months of the expiry of the terms.
Unusual circumstance existed for the triennial elections for the
23 April 1961 expirees. These had been set for 24 November 1960
but the date coincided with the period when a case, in respect of
the Constitution Amendment (Legislative Council Abolition) Bill,
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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