Publishing false statements to influence voters

1 A person is guilty of a corrupt practice if the person, with the intention of influencing the vote of an elector,— a first publishes or republishes a statement, during the specified period, that the person knows is false in a material particular; or b arranges for the first publication or republication of a statement, during the specified period, that the person knows is false in a material particular. 2 Subsection (1) does not apply if— a the statement was first published before the specified period and remains available or accessible within all or part of the specified period; but b the person did not, during the specified period, by any means,— i advertise or draw attention to the statement; or ii promote or encourage any person to access the statement. 3 In this section,— publish , in relation to a statement, means to bring to the notice of a person in any manner,— a including by— i displaying on any medium: ii distributing by any means: iii delivering to an address: iv leaving at a place: v sending by post or otherwise: vi printing in a newspaper or other periodical: vii broadcasting by any means: viii disseminating by means of the Internet or any other electronic medium: ix storing electronically in a way that is accessible to the public: x incorporating in a device for use with a computer: xi inserting in a film or video; but b excluding addressing 1 or more persons face to face specified period means the period— a beginning 2 days immediately before polling day; and b ending with the close of the poll. Section 199A : replaced , on 21 March 2017 , by section 98 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).