§ Major BREESEasked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the fact that there will be a large number of sailors and soldiers at home on leave on the dates fixed for the forthcoming elections for councils of counties and boroughs, and who, owing to their names being on the list of absent voters, will be precluded from exercising, the franchise at these elections, he will take immediate action whereby they may be enabled to record their votes in the usual way in the ballot boxes on the days of election?
§ Dr. ADDISONSection 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1918, relating to voting by absent voters applies only to Parliamentary elections. A person who is registered as a local government elector for a local government electoral area is not precluded by being on the list of absent voters from voting in the ordinary way at an election for that area. The Board have called attention to this in a circular letter issued to local authorities as to the coming local elections.
§ Captain WEDGWOOD BENNasked the Secretary of State for War whether in the coming municipal elections the same facilities will be afforded to soldiers as were granted at the recent Parliamentary election?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLHaving regard to Section 146 of the Army Act, it has been decided that no special facilities will be granted to officers, non-commissioned officers and men who may wish to stand for elections for parish councils, town councils, urban district councils, or boards of guardians, as they could not be elected without special legislation to rule out this Section of the Act Facilities as regards those standing for county council elections have already been afforded.