Absentee Voters
I am sorry that the Bill to extend the right to a postal vote was 'talked out' last Friday. Mr. W. R. Rees-Davies, who introduced it, pointed out that, without such provision, as much as 10 per cent of the electorate in some constituencies is likely to be disfranchised at the coming election. At present, people who are away from their homes on holiday forfeit their votes. There seems no sound reason for this, certainly not now that holidays are no longer the privilege of the few. At present, to obtain a postal vote one must either be a businessman, travelling in connection with one's business, or else one must be infirm or sick. These limits are altogether too narrow. What claim has a businessman to this special treatment? Even attendance at a trade union conference, accord- ing tp Mr. Rees-Davies, would not rank as a business engagement and would, therefore, dis- franchise the delegate. American States are far freer than we with their absentee votes. So is Australia. We will come to it one day.
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