Electorate numbers known by February

Statistics NZ is expected to announce by early February the number of Māori and General electorates for which the Representation Commission will then have to determine boundaries.

Statistics NZ calculates the number of electorates in accordance with the requirements of the Electoral Act using its own 2006 census data and 2006 Māori Electoral Option figures provided by the Electoral Enrolment Centre.

Key results from the Māori Electoral Option were:

• 385,977 Māori are now enrolled to vote, with 14,914 more on the Māori Roll than before the option, and 4,634 less on the General Roll.
• 21,588 Māori changed electoral roll type
  • 14,294 moving from general to Māori
  • 7,294 moving from Māori to general
• 10,280 Māori enrolled for the first time.
  • 7,914 on the Māori Roll
  • 2,366 on the General Roll

Māori participation research conference

The findings of four Māori participation research projects for the Electoral Commission are to be presented at a conference to be held at the Wellington Airport Conference Centre on Friday, 8 December from 10am to 4pm.  Conference and catering costs are being met by the commission, with attendees responsible for their own travel arrangements and costs. 

Places are limited to 50 participants.  Places will generally be allocated in application order with adjustment if required to balance participants from the following broad groupings: iwi, Māori community and NGO; academic and research; politics and politicians; local and central government officials; media, communications and change service providers; research informants.  Attendees will be confirmed and all applicants advised on Tuesday, 10 October. 

If you’re certain you could attend if accepted then please e-mail info@elections.govt.nz with “conference application” in the subject line, your name, position, organisation, which of the above categories you are in, and contact details. 

The research reports will be available on the Elections New Zealand website soon after the conference, and the Electoral Commission will be seeking further exposure for them at relevant hui and conferences.

E-voting strategy development underway

Anthony Pengelly, Manager Electoral Information at the Chief Electoral Office, recently attended the second International Workshop on Electronic Voting in Bregenz, Austria.

The CEO aims to develop an e-voting strategy by the end of 2007, and the conference provided the perfect opportunity for the CEO to learn the latest developments, meet the experts in the field, and network with electoral officials from a number of countries running advanced e-voting projects.

“Though the progress towards adopting electronic voting solutions tends to be slow and cautious, there is strong interest in developing them,” says Anthony.

Most developments are in providing electronic voting facilities in polling places – particularly replacing paper ballots in jurisdictions with complicated ballots and multiple languages for example: in Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United States.

There are also some ambitious remote e-voting trials taking place over the next year which the CEO will monitor closely. In particular, registered overseas voters will be able to vote online at the parliamentary election in the Netherlands in November 2006. And more than one million Estonian voters nationwide will have the option of casting their vote online at parliamentary elections in March 2007.

“It was a real pleasure to be able to meet and hold discussions with many leading e-voting experts who are clearly passionate about the opportunities e-voting provides for improving service to voters,” says Anthony.

Over 80 representatives from government, academia and the IT industry attended the event which was co-sponsored by the Council of Europe and European Science Foundation. The first conference of its type was held in 2004.

Select committee reports on election

The Justice and Electoral Committee has reported on its inquiry into the 2005 general election.  The Electoral Commission’s submission to the inquiry is also available.

Party funding and election advertising

Current public debate has seen the Electoral Commission assemble this summary of what happens around some other English-speaking Westminster democracies in response to requests for information.

Wallace Scholarship topics announced

Topics for tertiary student research eligible for consideration for a Wallace Scholarship in 2007 have been announced.  These are: encouragement of electoral participation, state funding of political parties, campaign regulation, or teacher professional development in citizenship education.  Applications are open to tertiary students from any discipline and close on 1 February.

Draft curriculum highlights citizenship

Electoral Commission chief executive Dr Helena Catt says the proposed New Zealand Curriculum would significantly strengthen citizenship components in social sciences specifically and all learning areas generally.  She’s encouraging stakeholders with an interest in students’ learning about active social participation, electoral, political and machinery of government matters to review and respond to the draft through a Ministry of Education consultation process closing on 30 November.

Commission staff were involved throughout the two-year collaborative development of the draft statement by social science educators, stakeholders and the Ministry of Education.  Helena says the proposed curriculum would see students better prepared and willing to participate in New Zealand’s electoral life than currently.

Citizenship PD for teachers

Encouraging Active Citizenship, an Electoral Commission-initiated professional development course for school teachers to be held in January, will include foundation knowledge, fieldtrips and resources all delivered in an interactive, participatory and practical way.  The course is being organised for the Teachers' Refresher Course Committee - Komiti Whakahauora Kaiwhakaako by leading teachers and commission staff.  More details and registration information will appear on the TRCC website shortly.

Chief Electoral Office appointments

• Mark Lawson has joined CEO as Manager, Electoral Events and Deputy Chief Electoral Officer.  He comes from the Ministry of Social Development, where he was an operational policy manager.
• Kristina Temel is CEO’s new Manager, Electoral Policy, having moved across from a senor adviser role in the Ministry of Justice public law group.

Sharing expertise

Helena Catt, Electoral Commission chief executive, joined 17 other electoral administrators from 13 countries in a Train the Facilitator course held in Suva in July.  Helena is now halfway to full accreditation as a facilitator for BRIDGE, the electoral administrator professional development programme created by the Australian Electoral Commission. 

New Zealand Pocket Electoral Compendium available

This two-part publication outlining general electoral information and providing summary statistics from the 2005 general election is now available free of charge from the Electoral Commission.

Electoral Commission moving

On Tuesday, 3 October, the Electoral Commission moves to smaller premises at Level 5, Featherston House, on the corner of Waring Taylor and Featherston Streets, Wellington.  All other contact details will stay the same. 

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