Rotorua Daily Post letters: Ballot box voting, Vipond family

A reader says the old-fashioned way of voting is still the safest and the best. Photo / File

I recently read computer security specialists are saying electronic voting is insecure.

While the council at the last local body elections was all in favour of voting online, we at Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers (RDRR) had a look at it and came to the conclusion it was a dangerous form of voting due to insecurity.

Finally, Parliament came to the same view on the grounds of security and cost, so the proposed trial was dropped.

Now I see these experts have carried out the same exercise and reached the same conclusions as us. Yet still, local bodies want to try it, which shows they are not listening and not doing their homework.

Like a lot of people, they are overawed by electronic communications and can't see the pitfalls when they trip over them. While I hate to skite and say "we told you so", if ever there was an opportunity to do that, this would be it.

Apart from the old-fashioned ballot box, no easy method of voting can be secure. If people are apathetic enough not to vote that is their own fault when councils live beyond their means and expect everyone to pay for it.

I am not convinced by trying to make life easy for the lazy and disinterested, it can alter their attitudes because, as the old saying has it, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

AJ MacKenzie
Rotorua

Vipond family

Once again I would like to congratulate Jill Nicolas for her journalism skills, in bringing us the condensed life stories of the distaff - Vipond family (Our People, December 22) (I learnt a new word, and its meaning – distaff.)

Five generations is a remarkable achievement. What a great read, as I followed the lives of Jeanie Vipond – the matriarch - and her family.

Heartfelt, tinged with sadness at times, and then elation with the latest birth of Keiza Tamana. What Christmas joy for this family. Great photos to be treasured as well.

Thank you to the Vipond girls for sharing your personal journeys and, a big thank you Jill, for bringing us these wonderful stories.
Merry Christmas to all.

Pauleen Wilkinson
Rotorua

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