New Zealand: New Zealand Electoral Commission seeks input on mixed member proportional system | Voxy.co.nz

The Electoral Commission today launches a review of the MMP voting system, and seeks input from the public on possible changes to the way MMP works. “This is a chance for all New Zealanders to have their say on how the MMP voting system might be improved,” says the Electoral Commission’s Robert Peden. “Look for more information from the Commission, about the review and how to make a submission, in Thursday’s newspapers.”

New Zealand: Challenge Could Oust Paula Bennett | Stuff.co.nz

Labour is weighing up legal advice over a challenge in the Waitakere electorate, after it emerged National Cabinet minister Paula Bennett could be tossed out of Parliament if Labour won an electoral petition.

With the Waitakere result hanging on just nine votes, the Electoral Commission has confirmed there are no guarantees that any candidate who loses their seat as the result of an electoral petition would automatically be returned to Parliament off the party list. But it acknowledges that the outcome is far from certain and the courts could take different views.

New Zealand: Questions over Waitakere vote | NZ Herald News

Evidence of dodgy voting has emerged in the battle for Waitakere. A judge has found nine people voted twice and 393 people voted despite not being on the electoral roll. The result has changed twice: National’s Paula Bennett won by 349 votes on election night, then Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni inched ahead by 11 after the special vote count, only to have Bennett reclaim victory on Friday by nine votes after a judicial recount.

The Herald on Sunday has obtained a copy of Judge John Adams’ initial judgment. It shows Bennett gained eight votes after the recount while Sepuloni lost 12. Labour bosses will meet on Tuesday to decide whether to accept defeat or pursue an electoral petition. Former president Mike Williams, who was a scrutineer in the recount, did not favour an electoral petition as he thought it unlikely Sepuloni would win.

New Zealand: Online voting suggested to boost turnout | msn.co.nz

The Green Party wants parliament to consider online enrolment and voting for future elections, after a record low turnout for last month’s election.
The final election results, released on Saturday, show only 74 per cent of enrolled voters cast a vote in last month’s general election, down from 79 per cent in 2008.

Following the election, the Green Party called for parliament’s justice and electoral select committee to look at why voter turnout was so low as part of its regular post-election inquiry. The Greens have since undertaken an informal online survey, asking people what would make them more inclined to enrol or vote. The survey received 1,059 responses over a three day period.

Of those who were not enrolled to vote, two-thirds said they would have been more likely to do so if they could online. Currently, people can update their details online, but they have to either print out or be posted a form to sign and return. Of those who didn’t vote, 58 per cent said they would have been more likely to if secure online voting was available.

New Zealand: Key to Assemble Coalition After Victory in New Zealand Election | Businessweek

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key began forming a government after his National party gained its best election result in 60 years, giving him the mandate to sell state assets in an effort to eliminate a budget deficit.

Key met with senior ministers today and plans talks tomorrow with the ACT and United Future parties, which helped him command a majority in the last parliament and have pledged to back him again. With 60 seats in the 121-member parliament, Key will be able to govern with support from the two parties, which both have one seat.

New Zealand: Serious review to follow close result in New Zealand Mixed-member proportional vote | Stuff.co.nz

The majority of New Zealand has again thrown its support behind MMP, but the close result will mean a serious review by the Electoral Commission. As well as casting the usual party and electorate votes on Saturday, voters were also asked if they thought the country should keep MMP or, if not, what alternative system they would prefer.

With only 290,000 advance votes so far counted, a total of 53.7 per cent back sticking with the mixed member proportional system, while 42.6 per cent said they wanted a change. It could take a further two weeks to count all votes.

The inner workings of the electoral system were in full effect on Saturday night. National won almost half the seats in Parliament, but the party’s lack of a substantial coalition partner means it still needs the support of UnitedFuture, ACT and the Maori Party to form a comfortable majority.

New Zealand: Porirua mayor lobbies for internet voting test | dominion-post

Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett wants his city to be a testing ground for new e-voting technology. Today he said he would lobby the Government to bring online voting to Porirua for the 2013 local body elections.

“New Zealand is long overdue for offering the option of voting online. The 2001 Local Electoral Act allows it to be used, which means Cabinet can make it happen through simple regulatory action. Officials, perhaps understandably, are exhibiting excessive caution — but our political leaders should embrace the democratic possibilities offered by this technology,” he said.

New Zealand: Electoral commission seeking Maori speakers

The Electoral Commission is looking for fluent Maori speakers to make sure Maori communities are informed about this year’s referendum on the electoral system.

Maori Media co-ordinator Mabel Wharekawa-Burt says the referendum gives people a chance to say how they think MPs should be elected.

New Zealand: Maori overseas MP could address inequity | Waatea 603

A Victoria University political scientist says there could be a case for an MP representing Maori living in Australia. Maria Bargh says 110,000 Maori live across the Tasman, but they tend not to vote in either country.

She says one of the reasons she’s doing a survey of their political behaviour is to generate some debate on how those people can be represented.

New Zealand: Public spending on election ads comes under spotlight again in New Zealand | NZ Herald News

A decision by the Electoral Commission to refer a parliamentary-funded postcard from Labour to the police is expected to raise questions again about the extent of election advertising that will be funded by taxpayers in the run-up to the election. The postcard in question opposed asset sales and was funded by Labour’s parliamentary budget.

The Electoral Commission believes that because the postcard was election advertising as defined by the Electoral Act it needed a promoter statement on it, saying who authorised it. Labour’s statements on the issue suggests it thinks that simply because it was funded by Parliament, means it cannot be election advertising.

“Labour had taken the view that the flyer was not an election advertisement under the Act, in part because it had received prior authorisation from the Parliamentary Service for its publication,” campaign spokesman Grant Robertson said.

New Zealand: New Zealand Electoral Commission deputy chair appointed | Scoop News

The Government today announced the appointment of Jane Huria as a member and Deputy Chair of the Electoral Commission.

Ms Huria’s appointment by the Governor-General is for a term of four years.
“Parliament has unanimously endorsed the appointment of Ms Huria, who will play a vital role in preparing New Zealand for this year’s General Election and the referendum on our voting system,” Justice Minister Simon Power said.

The new consolidated Electoral Commission was created as part of the Government’s wider programme of electoral reform and became operational on 1 October last year.

New Zealand: Politicians can tweet during campaign, but carefully | New Zealand Herald News

Politicians have been told they can tweet at will during the election campaign provided it is only their personal views they are expressing.

The Electoral Commission yesterday sent MPs a handbook of guidance on new election rules, which include a much broader definition of election advertising than previously.

It includes advice for the increasing number of MPs who use Twitter and Facebook. In its guidance, it says MPs using personal Twitter or Facebook accounts can continue to do so provided they only express personal political views. However, they should not post messages on election day itself, because of strict rules against any form of campaigning on the day.

New Zealand: Referendum education campaign kicks off in New Zealand | 3 News

The Electoral Commission has begun a six-month campaign to prepare voters for the question theyll be asked at the general election: not just which government they want, but whether they want to keep the current MMP [mixed member proportional] system or switch to one of four alternatives.

Its been 18 years since First Past the Post was ditched and MMP was introduced, and now the Government wants to see if voters still think its a good idea.

But its going to take more than just an extra form on voting day – an education campaign thatll cost $5 million dollars of taxpayers money has just got underway.

New Zealand: Electoral Commission begins $5m education campaign in New Zealand | 3 News

The Electoral Commission has begun a six month campaign to prepare voters for the second big question they’ll be asked at the general election in November. For 15 years we’ve been used to just two ticks, but this election there’ll be two more – whether the voter wants to keep MMP and if not, which voting system they’d prefer.

Voters will be asked whether they want to keep the current system or switch to one of four alternatives, which means voters should understand how five different voting systems work.

New Zealand: Tweeters face big fine if they break New Zealand’s electioneering law | NZ Herald News

Twitter and Facebook users face $20,000 fines if they use their accounts to campaign for their favourite party or leader on election day. Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden said material posted on social media websites was covered by strict rules which prohibit electioneering on election days.

“People should be aware that if they tweeted on election day to influence how somebody votes they will be breaching the [Electoral] Act and the [Electoral] Commission will take action.”