Disappearing ballot box frustrates voters

Members of the Pacific community are upset that their votes towards an advisory board did not count. File photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Members of the Pacific community are upset that their votes towards an advisory board did not count, after the vice-chairwoman left the election meeting early - with the ballot box.

Elections for three Tongan candidates in the Pacific Island Board Auckland City (PiBAC) took place last Thursday at the Wesley Methodist Church Hall in Mt Albert.

The board is one of four existing Pacific advisory groups throughout Auckland and is different from the overall Pacific People's Advisory Panel for the Super City.

Members of the public were given the chance to come in and cast a vote for a candidate from 7pm to 9pm. The time and place were advertised on Pacific and Tongan radio stations and in various media.

However, those who arrived after 8pm were unable to cast their votes after vice-chairwoman Tofa Fialauia Toailoa-Amituana'i announced she had another engagement and had to leave early, at 8pm.

It was only when members of the public who arrived after that time asked where they could cast their votes that anyone realised that Mrs Toailoa-Amituana'i had taken the ballot box with her.

It is understood PiBAC has been fielding calls from people complaining that the voting process was unfair.

Lawyer Joel Fotu, a Tongan, said the election should be discounted.

"I knew the voting closed at 9pm so we were there just a little before 8.30pm. But there was no voting box."

The issue has been discussed on Tongan radio and Mr Fotu said there needed to be fair processes put in place.

"I think we need to respect that [process] to keep people honest about the results," he said. "The fact that they took away the box is not good. It opens up the imagination of people as to what's happened to the box? Is it sealed or have new votes been put in?"

There were only three candidates, including the current PiBAC chairman, Will'Ilolahia, so all three have been elected as Tongan representatives on the board.

However, the election was very important given that the number of votes a person receives will count for something later.

In February, Auckland Mayor Len Brown offered to let a representative from each of the existing Pacific boards - from Auckland City, Waitakere, Counties Manukau and North Shore - be co-opted onto the wider Pacific People's Advisory Panel. The offer is still under consideration.

Mrs Toailoa-Amituana'i has not explained why she took the ballot box with her.

She said yesterday she would not be making a comment until she had spoken to Tongan elders.

"That's my stance. People who want to complain, they can complain, that's their right. But I am following a certain process primarily because I was in charge with the election."