Disgraceful

The Herald reports:

Some Chinese voters are crying foul over Labour’s tactics to get the elderly to the ballot box early.

Botany resident Harry Lu plans to lodge a complaint with the Electoral Commission today after his mother-in-law was asked to cast her vote, and told who to vote for.

On October 24 she was taken by Labour officials to an early voting station at Panmure Library following a talk by Labour’s Chinese candidate Raymond Huo.

Lu alleges elderly Chinese voters are being taken to early-voting stations by officials, coerced into casting their votes early – and being told where to put their two ticks.

Mr Lu said in Mandarin: “I feel that the Labour Party is taking advantage of the vulnerability of elderly Chinese voters.”

His mother-in-law, who wanted to be known as Mrs Chen, 72, said she felt “cheated” after casting her vote because she didn’t get the chance to listen to the policies of other parties.

“I don’t even know who I voted for. I just followed the instructions of the Labour Party man on how to fill in my form because my English is not very good. He was standing right beside me and telling me what to write and where to put my ticks,” she said in Mandarin.

So is this a one off event?

Yesterday, the Blockhouse Bay Chinese Association held a meeting after some members said they had been pressured to cast their votes.

A 73-year-old New Lynn resident said she was told by Labour activists that there wouldn’t be any translators on election day, so she needed to vote early.

“I didn’t vote last time, and I was told that it was against the law, and I could be arrested,” she said.

Looks to be quite wide-spread.

How disgusting to prey on the fears of elderly voters like this, and exploit their lack of English skills.