'Illegal' election complaint rejected
A COMPLAINT that the General Election was 'illegal' because of States support for a campaign to encourage female candidates has been rejected.
Six failed male candidates had submitted the objection to registrar-general of electors Mark de Garis.
In a letter in response, Mr de Garis said the area in the law the complainants alleged was breached clearly makes reference to candidates – those who have submitted nominations.
'The campaigns which you make reference to within your letter took place before the nomination period and therefore were not designed to assist or promote candidates,' he said.
'Rather the emphasis was to encourage more women to stand for election, to give the electorate a more representative choice of candidates. It was not about encouraging the electorate to vote for women.'
He said the matter was now considered closed.
