The Southern District Health Board did not get through its inaugural meeting in Invercargill yesterday without a contested vote.
But rather than a parochial matter dividing members, the issue was whether names on the ballot paper for this year's board elections should be in alphabetical or random order.
Before them was a recommendation that the random system be used, something which costs $12,000 more than the alphabetical arrangement.
The idea of the random system is that it removes any unfairness resulting from what is called the donkey vote, under which people allegedly vote for the first names on the list.
When board member Fiona McArthur declared an interest because she was going to stand for election, chief executive Brian Rousseau made a joke that she was one of the few people who did not have a conflict because her name was in the middle of the alphabet.
Richard Thomson, who will not be standing, said the board had to make a decision on the matter.
Members Peter Barron and Neville Cook spoke in favour of the alphabetical system amid some ribbing about where their names came in the alphabet.
Mr Barron said it made as much sense to have a random system as having random electoral rolls or telephone books.
Mr Cook said there was already confusion about the single transferrable vote system and the random system added to that.
Mr Thomson,whose 2007 paper in support of the random system was considered by the board, pointed out that the directory accompanying the postal ballot papers was in alphabetical order. If people were unable to find names in the directory and match them up with the names on the ballot paper, he questioned if they were qualified to vote.
If there was evidence alphabetical listing destroyed the democratic process "why wouldn't you want to remove it?"
Dot Wilson said she had been elected under an alphabetical listing,even though her name began with W.
When the matter was put to a vote, board chairman Errol Millar had to call for a show of hands.
The vote for random order was won, 9 votes to 6.
Those who voted for random order were: Mr Millar, deputy Paul Menzies, Richard Thomson, Katie O'Connor, Tahu Potiki, Karen Goffe, Susan Johnstone, Malcolm Macpherson and Branko Sijnja.
Those against were: Peter Barron, Neville Cook, Kaye Crowther, Helen Algar, Tim Ward and Dot Wilson.
Ms McArthur abstained and members Judith Medlicott, Sajan Bhatia, Louise Rosson and Louise Carr were not present.
The board is made up of both elected and appointed members.
