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MMP Review. Electoral Commission.
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Date:
22 August 2012
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Have your say on proposed changes to MMP

The Electoral Commission has released its suggested changes to the MMP voting system, and wants to hear what New Zealanders think of the proposals.

This is the second stage of the review of the MMP (mixed member proportional) voting system. The review was triggered by last year’s referendum, in which the majority of voters chose to keep MMP as New Zealand’s voting system. The Electoral Commission will present its final report to the Minister of Justice by 31 October.

The Electoral Commission considered the 4,600 submissions received in the first stage, and used them to develop a set of proposals for change. These were released as a proposals paper on 13 August, and the public have again been invited to comment via post or online. Submissions must be received by 7 September.

The Electoral Commission proposes that:

  • The one electorate seat threshold for the allocation of list seats should be abolished.
  • The party vote threshold for the allocation of list seats should be lowered to 4 percent.
  • Candidates should continue to be able to stand both in an electorate and on a party list at general elections.
  • List MPs should continue to be able to contest by-elections.
  • Political parties should continue to have responsibility for the composition and ranking of candidates on their party lists.
  • The provision for overhang seats should be abolished for parties that do not cross the party vote threshold.

The Electoral Commission has also raised two further points.

  • On the basis of current information it would be prudent to identify 76 electorate seats (in a 120 seat Parliament) as the point at which the risk to proportionality from insufficient list seats becomes unacceptable. New Zealand is unlikely to reach that point before 2026.
  • The gradual erosion of lists seats relative to electorate seats risks undermining the diversity of representation in Parliament. Parliament should review this matter.

Further information is on the Electoral Commission’s MMP Review website, or call freephone 0800 36 76 56 to have a proposals paper sent to you.