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Hannah Peters / Getty Images
The Electoral Commission has referred to the Police eight matters related to general elections and referenda, including one matter related to community newspapers. (File photo)
An editor has been referred to the police after three different community newspapers containing election announcements were delivered on Election Day, in violation of Election Day rules.
On Wednesday, the Election Commission announced that it had referred eight matters related to the general elections and referendums to the police, five of which were apparent violations of the rules of the day of the election.
In addition to the community newspapers that contained an election announcement, an email sent to voters and an election poster that was displayed on election day were also sent to the police.
Stuff
The Election Commission partnered with social media stars to try to encourage more young people to vote ahead of the 2020 general election.
Under the Electoral Law, it is a crime for a person to interfere or influence voters on Election Day.
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That means you can’t post or broadcast anything that might influence voters until voting closes at 7pm.
If a newspaper is published after 6 pm on the day before Election Day, it counts as publishing it on Election Day.
For the candidates, the blackout means no more campaigns, posters removed the day before, no public-facing events planned for Election Day, and no Twitter or Facebook posts asking for votes.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
It is against the law to post or broadcast anything on Election Day that may influence voters. (File photo)
They also cannot conduct polls, as that could influence the vote.
In 2014, All Blacks Jonah Lomu and Israel Dagg and rower Eric Murray were arrested for tweeting about who they voted for on Election Day.
All three told their tens of thousands of followers that they voted for then-Prime Minister John Key, before deleting their tweets.
Another matter referred to the police by the Election Commission on Wednesday relates to an alleged false statement in a special vote statement.
Two issues are related to the lack of inclusion of a statement by the promoter on the publicity of the referendum.
The commission did not reveal the identities of the parties involved in the violations.
He said he would not comment further as matters were now with the police.
NZME and Stuff have been contacted for comment.
