Scream & Shout
POLITICAL FAQ
You are not the only person wondering how this all works
"how do I vote?"
"I just turned 18, where do i register to vote?"
To be able to vote you must be at least 18 years old and you must be on the electoral roll. Registration can be easily completed online by visiting the Elections NZ website, or you can get a registration form sent to your address. Additionally, you can easily pick up a registration form called ‘Enrolling to vote: Application’ from your nearest Post Shop. The registration form will ask for simple information such as your full name, date of birth, postal and residential address, as well as your occupation. Once you have completed your registration, your name will be added to the electoral role.
To complete a quick and easy registration online, by go to http://www.elections.org.nz/voters/enrol-check-or-update-now. This also provides you with an enrolment guide if you require any help.
"are there designated places where I can go to vote?"
Yes there are. Below is the helpful map created by Elections.org. for the 2017 election. The locations may be different for the election in November 2020 and we will updat this information when we have it. (If our map is not working below, the link is https://apps.apac.tomtom.com/vote2017/)
If you have enrolled, this information will also be in your EasyVote information pack, which you will receive about a week before election day. To find out more, freephone 0800 36 76 56.
"Can international students vote?"
International students cannot vote in the upcoming general election. Only persons who are citizens or have residency, are over 18, and have lived in New Zealand for one year or more continuously at some point, are eligible to vote.
"How often does voting take place in NZ? When can we vote for MP's?"
Voting takes place in New Zealand every 3 years. (The last general election was on 32rd September 2017, and the next general election is going to be on or around 21st November, 2020)
When you go to vote you actually make two decisions: one is called the party vote (picking the party) and one is called the electoral vote (picking a local Member of Parliament/MP). Your choices of MP will depend on the electorate you are in and this is based on your address.
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"What is the MĀORI option
There is a Māori electoral roll that any Māori New Zealander can choose to be part of. Here is a video from the electoral roll that explains it further
"Can I vote from overseas? If so, How?"
Yes you can! Here are instructions written by Talia Shadwell for The Spinoff
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Check if you’re enrolled
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Download your voting papers and cast your vote anytime between now and September 23.
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Submit your vote
3.1. Upload your vote. It’s not too late to vote online on the day of the election – as long as you do it by 7pm NZ time.
3.2. Post your vote. You can mail your papers back to NZ, or to your nearest overseas post (see below). The postmark must be dated no later than the Thursday before Election Day and the letter must arrive by the following Wednesday. Even though it will arrive after Election Day it will still be counted.
3.3. Vote in person at an overseas post
"What's the difference between MMP and first past the post?"
New Zealand currently uses the ‘Mixed Member Proportional’ (MMP) voting system. This means that every voter in NZ gets two votes. The first of these is for the political party you choose, this is known as the ‘party vote’. Your second vote is for the person you want representing the area you live in, this is known as the ‘electoral vote’.
The party votes determine the total number of seats each party gets in Parliament, out of a total 120 seats. For example, if a party gets 30% of the party vote it will get roughly 36 MPs in Parliament (being 30% of 120 seats). This 36 will include all MPs for that party elected by the ‘electorate vote’, and the difference will be made up of other MPs from that party.
This is different from First Past the Post (FPP) system, wherein you would only get one vote for the candidate you wanted to represent the area you live in. This would often lead to single party majority governments, which is extremely rare under the MMP system.
"How does a coalition government form?"
A coalition government is a formal agreement between parties to pledge support towards each other. It is formed when no single party receives the majority vote (more than half the seats in Parliament). In this scenario, two or more parties can form an alliance and agree to form a majority coalition government. This has not happened since 1996, the first MMP election.
Another example is to form a minority government (confidence and supply deals) which is when one or more parties with less than half the seats in Parliament form an alliance. This is so that they can rely on each other to secure enough seats and stay in power.
"What is 'left wing' and 'right wing'?"
This is a complicated question. There are two parts to the political spectrum: economic and social.
Left wing:
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A left-wing economic believes in increased taxes and increased government spending to even the gap between the poor and the rich. Based on socialism.
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In terms of the social spectrum, the left-wing is founded upon liberal beliefs (i.e. equality, environment)
Right wing:
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A right-wing economic believes in reducing taxes and government spending, allowing people to keep more of their money. Based on the free market.
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In terms of the social spectrum, right-wing is founded upon conservative beliefs (i.e. prioritising the economy, tradition).
In New Zealand all our major parties are relatively central comparatively.
"Is it futile to vote for anyone other than Labour or National?"
The short answer is no. New Zealand follows the MMP electoral system which basically means the more votes a party gets the more representatives it has in parliament (as explained above). Just because a party “wins” the election, does not mean they have all the power.
The number of votes a party gets determines how many seats they get in parliament. If a party has more seats it means they have a louder voice (because there are more of them). This could mean that their policies are more likely to be heard and succeed.
Example: Parties form alliances (see: how does a coalition government form?) i.e. Greens and Labour (non-offical coalition). A vote for Greens could mean a vote for a Labour-led government BUT the power they have will depend on how many votes each party gets. So, if you align with Greens but vote Labour because you think voting otherwise is pointless, you are actually taking away the amount of influence Greens can have in parliament.
"What's the difference between Labour and National?"
Like most political parties, their policies will vary in between election cycle which usually depend on factors such as the economy at the time, the leader in charge, the differing views among different caucuses. Generally speaking, in terms of economic policy, Labour sits at centre-left while National centre-right.
Centre-right usually means parties that advocate for lowered interest and tax rates, free enterprises, and equality of opportunity. Centre-left parties usually promote more communal goals, increased welfare benefits, redistribution of wealth, and equality of outcome.
When it comes to social policy ie. LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, we cannot place National and Labour on a similar scale. There are many National MPs who sit on the right side of the ideological spectrum for economic policy, but lead towards the left for social policy. Similarly, there are many Labour MPs who are more socially conservative, even though their economic policies sit on the left.
However, it is important to remember that where political parties lie among the spectrum is not rigid. This was especially true during 1975-1989, where National sat on the left, while Labour right. This is why it’s important to stay tuned every election cycle – party ideology and policies are always changing. It’s especially important when deciding if you want to put either of your two votes to National or Labour, because these major parties are most likely to lead the government.
"Why is it worth voting/ what is my vote really worth?"
It's not so much "what is my vote worth?" But rather "what does my non-vote mean?"
Youth are under-represented in parliament and decisions are being made on our behalf by middle aged or older politicians. How will the MPs or the candidates who are running for office, know what youths REALLY want if you don't speak up? If you vote, you are actively participating in creating or influencing change. It isn’t just about now; voting impacts our future, and the future of generations to come. National policy (including social policy) is decided and implemented based partly on public polls and on the issues that voters rally for.
If you want to ensure that you (your age group, gender, ethnicity, beliefs etc) are heard and represented, you need to vote.
"Why do we not have more localised politics or more focus on local MP?"
There are many reasons why this may occur, with some of them being:
Many electorate MPs hold “safe seats”. This means that for the most part, it is highly likely that majority of the people from a certain electorate are going to use their electorate vote for the same MP. Due to the inevitability of these MPs’ winning, it can be quite disenfranchising for voters to vote contrary to the status quo of their electorate
Further, it is the party vote that matters most in MMP. So voters part of an electorate with a safe seat tend to vote for who they really want using their party vote.
Electorate MPs themselves have become more disengaged with their electorates voters over the years. For example, MPs used to go door to door, promoting their policies and make more personal connections with their voters.
Politics is no longer a common discussion to have at the dinner table – the focus on more local politics has unfortunately decreased alongside New Zealanders’ general interest in our politics.
It is easier for people to place their political ideologies and decisions around a group of like-minded politicians within a political party, rather than getting to know a specific MP.
"Do list MP's have a mandate to serve the people or the party? If they do for the people where does this come from?"
List MPs have a mandate to serve both the people and their party. Electorate MPs represent their particular electorates by being up to date with local issues and arguing on behalf of local causes within Parliament and elsewhere. List MPs that gain electorate seats will play a similar role to this, by holding weekly clinics in their electorates, listening to individuals’ queries and advocating on their behalf in government.
Other list MPs represent special communities, such as Māori, Pacific Islanders, trade unions, the business community and women. In this respect, list MPs have a mandate to serve the people, whether it be their local electorate, or the group whose interests they represent in parliament.
In saying that, all MPs have a mandate to serve their party. MPs almost always are expected to vote on issues in parliament along party lines, or else face discipline by their party. Only on moral issues can MPs cast their votes independently.