Story: Elections and campaigns

Keeping watch on proceedings, 1992

Keeping watch on proceedings, 1992

The presence of party scrutineers is one of the checks for fairness built into New Zealand’s electoral system. During a 1992 by-election for the Wellington Central electorate, scrutineers (from right) John Hayhurst, Malcolm Aitken and Clare McAloon were at the St John's church hall polling place. At left is Deputy Returning Officer Grant Strachan. Each scrutineer represented a different political party. They spent election day watching proceedings and crossing names off the electoral roll as voters came in. ‘The most exciting part’, remembered Clare McAloon, ‘was watching the boxes being emptied and the votes counted after the booth was closed.’ (Personal communication, 2011)

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1992/5055
Photograph by Ross Giblin

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Bryce Edwards, 'Elections and campaigns - Election day', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/35148/keeping-watch-on-proceedings-1992 (accessed 28 March 2024)

Story by Bryce Edwards, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Jul 2016