NSW:Hanson ponders vote challenge

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2011
NSW:Hanson ponders vote challenge

Eds: Correcting 3rd par to reflect that Ms Hanson previously served in the federal
lower house and not the Senate.



SYDNEY, April 13 AAP - Former One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she is seeking
legal advice on requesting a recount for the NSW upper house election count in which she
failed by just 1306 votes to gain a seat.

Ms Hanson, who ran as an independent, claims preferences weren't distributed fairly
and has raised concerns about the randomised preference system used by the NSW Electoral
Commission to distribute surplus votes.

Nationals candidate Sarah Johnston, who took the 21st and last spot up for grabs in
the Legislative Council, was just 1306 votes ahead of the former federal MP.

Before preferences, Ms Hanson led the Nationals by 7540 votes and the Greens - who
took the 20th spot - by 15,470.

Ms Hanson on Wednesday said she was seeking legal advice about requesting a recount
and would write to the Electoral Commission about her concerns.

"It's not just about Pauline Hanson," she told AAP.

"We need to make sure that this is a fair and just election.

"I just don't fell that this election was conducted this way."

Apart from her concerns about the random distribution of preferences, Ms Hanson was
also upset by reports a scrutineer had discovered 15 votes for her in a bundle of blank
votes.

"These were supposed to be bundles of blank votes and that's just one bundle that we
found," she said.

"I haven't got the resources that major political parties have for people to stand
there watching it.

"I want to ensure I did get every vote I was entitled to."

The NSW Electoral Commission said Ms Hanson had 40 days in which to request a recount.

The application would be heard by the Supreme Court, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns.

"The position of the Electoral Commission is that this is the right result as it stands,"

the commission's spokesman Richard Carroll said.

"She would have to come up with reasons why she this believes the result should be looked at."

AAP ab/tr/dep

KEYWORD: POLLNSW HANSON (REISSUING)

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