Wednesday, September 22, 2010



Action on electoral fraud

Ten days ago, the Herald exposed a serious case of attempted electoral fraud, with the result that over three hundred people were removed from the electoral roll. I was concerned that the police would treat this with the same lack of interest they treated overspending in the 2005 election - but it seems that this time, they're taking it seriously:

Police have raided homes and businesses in Auckland as they investigate alleged super city electoral roll fraud.

Detective Inspector Mark Gutry, crime manager with Counties Manukau Police, said over the last two days police had carried out searches in the Papatoetoe ward as part of and inquiry into electoral roll enrolment irregularities.

He said the search warrants were executed at "properties of interest" by up to 40 police following a complaint from the Electoral Enrolment Centre.

Forty officers is a serious investment of resources by the police, and hopefully they'll get to the bottom of this. Electoral fraud has no place at all in our democracy, and those who organised this attempt need to be prosecuted for it.