Flagged for change

Some New Zealanders were allegedly voting more than once in the poll on whether to change the national flag, according to the Electoral Commission. One man bragged on Facebook that he had collected almost 300 voting papers from his neighbours and friends and used the papers to vote for a change to the new design. The commission had asked police to investigate at least four people who said on social media that they used or intended to use other people’s ballots. The offence carries up to two years in prison (during which time they will not be eligible to vote in the local body elections later this year or the general election next year) and a fine of up to NZ$40,000. The vote is between the current flag, which features the four stars of the Southern Cross and the British Union Jack on a navy blue background, and a new design featuring a silver fern and no Union Jack, which some see as a throwback to British colonialism. Preliminary results of the vote are expected on March 24, and I actually like the fern better than a colonial design that has even been mistaken for a Confederate flag.