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Date Printed: 04/22/2009 JTS Box Number: IFES 67 Tab Number: 120 Document Title: The Referendum. The Guide. Document Date: 1993 Document Country: New Zealand Document Language: English IFES ID: CE01218 D - D D .. -~ -' ':"'" - - -: . .. ....:-- ....: -" - -.:. - . -.~. :':,.: .,-"-.,~~ ~.-:':',.->.'--'.. " .:~ .-.:- ... :.~,.~;-.-: " • 1 ,_ 'I •• :-: :_ :t ....- .... _·~· ~•.. ," - ' .. ' ..... ~ - - ' .. ' .. ·,.The·· :·ReferendUID • .. ;;. '" '.'" .The' , ,.. ' . ~-'. -' ",; . .:.:' .-', Guide., .' .... WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE? La systen , i, the sal systen + .. referel electi< Tl infom its oth Unive Tl fOlW,lI agains of tho, Th home~ thepa will b, a spec I, 0, ~ tionCi comir. John I Chail] 'f.. A MESSAGE FROM THE ELECTORAL REFERENDUM PANEL Last September. in the 1992 Electoral Referendum. New Zealand voters had their first say about the type of voting system they wanted. This was an indicative referendum. A second and binding referendum is being held this year. on the same day as the general election. This referendum offers voters a final choice between the First -Past -The-Post system (FPP) and the Mixed Member Proportional system (MMP), the preferted option in last year's indicative .. referendum. The option preferred in this referendum will be the way Parliament is elected at the next general I election which will normally be in 1996. The Electoral Referendum Panel is an independent body established by the government to oversee a public information programme funded by taxpayers. The panel is headed by the Chief Ombudsman, John Robertson, and its other members are Sir Hugh Kawharu, from Auckland University; Professor Margaret Clark, from Victoria University; and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, David McGee. The panel's task is to make sure that voters are factually and impartially informed about the two options put forward in the referendum. I ts terms of reference expressly prohibit the panel from putting forward arguments for or against the two electoral systems. It was considered that these will emerge from the public debate and the campaigns of those supporting particular options. The panel has already issued a pamphlet comparing the facts of both options and this was recently delivered to homes throughout New Zealand inside community newspapers. As well as this Guide, the panel is also posting a further brochure to every voter on the electoral roll. There will be a variety of briefings and community based activities using all tItis information, ··>-I-·~i:. ,~~ a specially prepared video, and a wide range of advertising in all types of media. , On behalf of the Electoral Referendum Panel, I ask you to consider this informa- tion carefully, to participate in the public debate, and to take the time to vote in the coming) 993 Electoral Referendum. John Robertson eBE Chairperson, Electoral Referendum Panel CONTENTS Th. It is WHAT THE REFERENDUM IS ABOUT 3 erscho( Th. HOW THE 1993 ELECTORAL REFERENDUM WILL WORK 3 • 1 I • • 1 HOW VOTERS VOTE UNDER FPP 4 0 ~ HOW VOTERS VOTE UNDER MMP 5 THE NUMBER OF MPs 6 Thi: MAORI REPRESENTATION 7 Memb. Zealanc The opt HOW MINOR PARTIES ARE AFFECTED 8 electior Wh, MPfOrl HOW PROPORTIONAL ARE THE TWO SYSTEMS? 9 ' . looks iii HOW A GOVERNMENT IS FORMED 10 THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION 11 HOW CANDIDATES ARE SELECTED 11 REDRAWING ELECTORATE BOUNDARIES 11 FILUNG VACANT SEATS 11 !, It APPENDIX A: ST LAGU~ FORMULA 12 r APPENDIXB: CRITERIA FOR JUDGING VOTING SYSTEMS 14 I I APPENDIX C: A BRIEF HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND'S , ELECTORAL SYSTEM 15 "" WHAT THE REFERENDUM IS ABOUT The electoral referendum is about how New Zealand voters elect their Members of Parliament. It is not about how governments operate, or how Parliament conducts its business. It is about how New Zealand ers choose other New Zealanders to represent them in the place where laws are made. The referendum offers a choice between two different ways of electing our Members of Parliament: • The First-Past-The-Post system (FPP) is the system we have now. Its details are set out in the Electoral Act 1956. • The Mixed Member Proportional system (MMP) is the alternative system being proposed. It was the preferred option in last year's indicative electoral referendum. Its details are set out in the Electoral Act 1993. HOW THE 1993 ELECTORAL REFERENDUM WILL WORK This year's electoral referendum is being held on the same day as the general election. As well as voting for their Member of Parliament, voters will be asked to make a final decision on what voting system theywant for New Zealand in the future - either the First-Past-The-Post system (FPP) or the Mixed Member Proportional system (MMP). The option selected in this referendum will fix the way that Members of Parliament are elected from the next general election which, based on a normal three-year parliamentary term, should be held in 1996. When electors go to vote they will be given two ballot papers. One will be the paper they will use to vote for the MP for the electoral district where they live. The other ballot paper will be used to vote on the electoral referendum. It looks like this: Vote Here --------------------I vote for the present FIRST-PAST-THE-POST SYSTEM as provided in the Electoral Act 1956. TICK ONE PROPOSAL I vote for the proposed MIXED MEMBER PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM as provided in the Electoral Act 1993. Electors vole by putting a tick (,/) next to the electoral system they prefer. 3 HOW VOTERS VOTE UNDER FPP FPP The Present First-Past-The-Post System (FPP) MMP Each elector has one vote. They vote by putting a Eacl tick (,() next to the name of the candidate they want to which" see elected. 1 VOTE to voter. The ballot paper looks like this: M• • FPP Ballot Paper • I. The candidate with the most Vote for only one candidate votes in the electorate (not CARSON, Michael necessarily a majority) is PAOGAESS PARTY elected. HARVEY. Linda FREEDOM PARTY On, KATENE. Hemi Elector JUSTICE PARTY the car MORRISON. Susan Th. UNITED PEOPLE'S PARTY theMe STAFFORD, Zoe REPUBLICAN PARTY VOl ent to' WADSWORTH, David CONSERVATION PARTY The-P< Th vote, fc The candidate who gets the most votes becomes repres the Member of Parliament (MP) for that electorate. To bYliut be successful, candidates do not have to win more the tol than half the votes cast. A candidate can be elected Parli31 with fewer than half the votes so long as no other Total MPs for each party; The number ofelectorate MPs Tt candidate contesting the election receives more votes. elected for each party in single electo (For example, in 1990 the winning candidate in one member electorates. partie, electorate received only 33.1 per cent of the votes cast but this was enough to win the seat.) V< chaos FPP usually produces a clear winner because ) electo one party tends to win more than half the seats I in Parliament. This means coalition govern I party ments are less likely. Minor parties find it harder L. They, to get seats in Parliament, and a party's share of beth. MPs in Parliament does not necessarily reHect I party its share of the votes cast. , r1 ., 4 HOW VOTERS VOTE UNDER MMP MMP The Mixed Member Proponional System (MMP) Each elector has two votes. The ballot paper, which will be divided into two pans before it is handed to voters, looks like this: 2 VOTES MMP Bellot Paper ~ MMP Ballot Paper ~ Electorate Party Un ..... ..... "':..-.: QQ Nationwide Party list MPs One vote (the Part A vote) is for an electorate MP. x56 Electors vote by putting a tick (.f) next to the name of the candidate they want to see elected. The candidate who gets the most votes becomes To win party list the Member of Parliament for that electorate. seats 8 party must win at least 5 per cent Voting on this part of the ballot paper is no differ of the nationwide party vote or at ent to voting for an electorate MP under the First-Past "Ieasi one electorate. The-Post electoral system. The other vote (the Part B vote) is a nationwide vote, for the party the elector would most like to see represented in Parliament. Electors vote for that party The number of nationwide MPs a party receives is by putting a tick (.I) next to its name. This vote decides the total number of seats that each party gets in decided in two steps. First, its percentage of the total nationwide party list vote is worked out. Then, the Parliament. This part of the ballot paper is the same for every number of nationwide MPs it may receive is adjusted electorate: all electors choose between the same according to the number of electorate MPs it already parties, regardless of the electorate they live in. has. This is so that its total number of MPs matches its Voters don't have to use both votes. They can share of the nationwide party list vote. choose to vote just for the person they want as their Total MPs for each party = The number ofelectorate MPs electorate MP, or they can choose to vote just for a elected for each party in single· party they would like to see represented in Parliament. member electorates plus They can also vote for a candidate from one party to the number ofnntionwide party be their electorate MP, and for a different party in their list MPs elected (adjusted so that a party's total MPs are in propor party vote. tion to its share ofthe total nntionwide party list voting). MMP is less likely to produce a clear winner, and coalition governments or agreements between parties are more likely. Each party's share of MPs in Parliament reflects its share of the votes, and minor parties find it easier to get seats in Parliament.