Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/490723
FREE WITH MALTATODAY HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OUR READERS! April 2015- Issue 64 www.vida.com.mt The 90's fashion wave Comfort eating How to escape its clutches HISTORY FOR THE MASSES Storyteller Salvu Mallia interviewed Pages 14-15 THE Electoral Commission was yesterday forced to suspend a total of 10 Assistant Electoral Commis- sioners in two separate incidents, that sparked off fears of illegal electoral practices. A person who had no right to vote early was allowed to vote at the Sa Maison old people's home in Pi- età. Five assistant commissioners were first suspended by the Elec- toral Commission soon after the incident. The number reportedly went up to 10, following a separate incident. MaltaToday was told that the person walked into the polling station at an old people's home in Msida, indicating that he wished to vote and was allowed to vote even though he was not entitled to be an early voter. In a second incident at the Naxx- ar counting hall, a voter was given the Paola ballot sheet even though he was a Santa Lucija resident. The mistake was only noticed after the man cast his ballot. The Electoral Commission took steps to replace the errant commissioners. 1,262 Maltese citizens applied for early voting in the referendum, surpassing applicants in the di- vorce referendum by almost 300. 2,088 applied for early voting in the local council elections that took place on the same day. Voting at the Little Sisters of the Poor's residence for the elderly in Hamrun came to a halt yesterday after the Electoral Commission ran out of ballot sheets, putting the process on hold while the Commission provided the neces- sary extra sheets. A number of relatives of de- mentia patients at Saint Vincent de Paul Residence also contacted this newsroom, complaining that patients were being forced to vote even though they were in "no phys- ical and mental state to do so". SHout campaigners told Malta- Today that they were precluded by the Referendum Act from moni- toring the early elections. "Only political parties are allowed to monitor and we can only hope for the best. People who have issues should let us know on our hotline 77615541," a SHout spokesperson said. 3,040 elderly people at residential homes were eligible to vote yester- day. 1,307 elderly were also set to vote in the local councils election. Some 15,477 eligible voters per- sonally collected their voting doc- ument for the spring hunting ref- erendum after it was not delivered to their residence, for one reason or another. This means that, of the 338,447 registered voters eligible, some 306,800 voters are now in possession of their voting docu- ment. Registered voters have until next Thursday to collect their voting documents from the Counting Complex in Naxxar Figures provided by the Electoral Commission show that the number of uncollected voting documents went down to 31,647. On the other hand, of the 197,682 eligible voters in the local councils election, 38,180 have not yet col- lected their voting documents. The majority of voters who have not yet collected their voting doc- ument for the referendum are reg- istered in Qawra (2,974), Sliema (1,695), Birkirkara (1,527), Naxxar (1,393), Marsascala (1,322) and Mosta (1,101). Newspaper post YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT SUNDAY • 5 APRIL 2015 • ISSUE 804 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday Electoral commissioners suspended in voting scare at elderly home NO RETAINS SEVEN-POINT LEAD JAMES DEBONO THE last MaltaToday survey before next week's referendum confirms the No camp's seven- point lead, already registered in two previous surveys, one held in February and another held last month. The latest survey had a sample of 1,100, up from 600 in the three previous surveys. The greater sample lowers the margin of er- ror from +/- 4 to +/-3 points. Although the No to spring hunting campaign has retained its solid seven-point lead over the yes camp, the outcome of the referendum remains unclear as 17% of respondents remain un- decided. The survey also shows that female voters are more un- decided. Labour voters also tend to be more undecided than PN voters. The survey sees both camps re- taining the same level of support as two weeks ago. While sup- port for the no camp decreased by half a point, from 40.2 to 39.7, support for the Yes camp declined by 0.1% from 33.5% to 33.4%. Undecided voters have in- creased by 1.2% and non-voters by 0.4%. Non-respondents have decreased by one point. This means that the No camp is now leading by 6.5 percentage points, down from 6.7 points a fortnight ago. The survey shows that 55% of PL voters will be voting 'yes', while 67% of PN voters will be voting no. The survey also shows the Yes camp gaining only one point among Labour voters despite Joseph Muscat's pro-spring hunting declaration in Gozo two weeks ago. But the survey shows a six- point drop in support for the No camp among Nationalist voters, which is corresponded by an in- crease in non-voters. It also shows the Yes leading only among males aged over 55 years. In all other age groups a majority intends voting 'no'. Support for the Spring hunting ban is highest among younger females aged between 18 and 34. 33.5% CONTINUES PAGES 18-19 No to Spring Hunting Yes to Spring Hunting Won't vote Don't know No reply mt survey What will you vote for in the 11 April referendum on spring hunting (%) April 2015 (Change from March) 16.7% 39.7% 8% 33.4% 2.2% -0.5% -0.1% +0.4% +1.2% -1% INSIDE Last week of campaigning for spring hunting referendum - For and Against, Carmelo Hili and Ylenia Rosso PGS 12-13 • The local councils' backdrop, by JAMES DEBONO PGS 10-11 • EDITORIAL Not just about birds PG 25 • SAVIOUR BALZAN PG 17 €1.40