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ALDEN WILLIAMS / Stuff
Even though early voting is open fifteen days before Election Day, we will not know the outcome of the two referendums until early next month. (File photo)
Voting is ready, but the fate of the End of Life Election Act and the legalization of cannabis will remain a mystery for nearly three weeks.
If a majority of New Zealanders voted in favor of the assisted death referendum, the Act, which would allow terminally ill adults who are likely to end their lives within six months and who are experiencing a “significant and continuing decline in Physical Capacity “, Request for Assisted Death: Will become law in 12 months.
If the majority opposes, or there is a tie, and another referendum is not held, the law will expire in five years.
STUFF
What is the euthanasia referendum and why do you vote? Explanation of the Law of choosing the end of life.
A majority vote “yes” in the cannabis referendum will not lead to such an easy result. The referendum is not binding, which means that Parliament will still have to vote to pass the bill before it becomes law.
READ MORE:
* Election 2020: When will we know the results of the referendums on cannabis and euthanasia?
* Euthanasia referendum: What is assisted death? Explanation of End of Life Choice voting
Now we know the results of the general elections, but why don’t we know how the Kiwis voted in the referenda?
There is a simple answer to that: voting for the general election was prioritized.
The referendum results were not even counted on Election Day.
Instead, we will not have preliminary results for both referendums until October 30, almost fifteen days after the close of voting.
CHRISTINE CORNEGE / Things
Referendum votes were not counted on election night. (File photo)
Final official results will be announced on Friday, November 6, 35 days after early voting began and 20 days after Election Day.
There is a specific set of instructions for counting referendum votes that are outlined in the Referendum Frames Act (2019).
Before a polling place administrator begins preliminary counting of votes in a general election, he may open the referendum polls and remove the general election ballot papers from those polls.
Referendum ballots are sent to the teller before being counted.
Then, “as soon as possible” after a teller receives the referendum ballot packets, he will count the votes cast for each of the options in the presence of a justice of the peace.
The last time a referendum was held alongside a general election was in 2011, when New Zealanders were asked if the country should maintain the mixed member proportional voting (MMP) system.
