14,000 kids vote for local councils

• More than 14,000 Year 9 students in 105 schools voted in parallel with the adults for last month’s local body elections through KidsVoting. Students voted on an exact replica of the ballot paper issued to adult electors in the same area endorsed KIDS VOTING and followed the processes used in the actual election, including using STV where relevant. Each school got a report comparing their election results with that for the adults. Winners varied but one factor was consistent – kids had a far higher turnout level! KidsVoting is part of the Growing Active Citizens Project co-ordinated by Local Government New Zealand with the involvement of five councils, three government departments, and the Electoral Commission.

2.85 million enrolled

• Meanwhile, the Electoral Enrolment Centre’s enrolment drive for the local elections resulted in 2.85 million Kiwis enrolled to vote. During the local elections enrolment campaign:
  • 194,777 (6.7%) electors returned their enrolment update form advising personal detail changes
  • 89,848 electors updated their address details
  • 14,998 electors newly enrolled
  • 22,176 freephone/internet/freetext requests for enrolment forms were processed.

Wallace Awards – final call for entries

• Wallace Award entries close this Friday, 18 November, for best dissertation or thesis, or portfolio submitted by a tertiary student on New Zealand electoral matters; and for best academic paper, monograph or book published on New Zealand electoral matters. In both cases the qualifying completion/publication period is 1 May 2006 – 30 October 2007, and entry simply requires submission of a copy of the work under a covering letter.

New boundaries bedding in

• The Electoral Enrolment Centre has completed the behind-the-scenes work need to transfer the enrolment details of over 355,000 individuals required by the new electorate boundaries recently released by the Representation Commission for the 2008 and 2011 general elections. An additional electorate named Botany in Auckland has been created – taking the total number of electorates to 70 (63 general electorates and seven Maori electorates). Other highlights of the new boundaries include: no change to the boundaries of seven electorates (Whangarei, North Shore, Northcote, Tauranga, Kaikōura, Te Tai Tokerau and Waiariki); new names for nine electorates (Papakura, Hunua, Waikato, Ōhariu, Selwyn, Port Hills, Rangitata, Waitaki, Hauraki-Waikato) and macrons applied to 11 electorate names to assist with correct Māori pronunciation.

Three new resources online

• Three new Electoral Commission resources are available online:
  • Taking part explains NZ’s democracy in simple terms highlighting opportunities and techniques for making yourself heard.
  • Elect! helps schools (or anyone else) run authentic elections and referendums.
  • Democracy – everyday concepts was written from a political science perspective to be a foundation resource for teachers or anyone else wanting to enrich their understanding of democracy, politics, elections and their practice.
• Hands up for a little help in the classroom was sent to schools recently in poster form and summarises these and other learning resources which are useful in a range of educational, community and professional settings. Please check them out and refer them on to others.

Access 08 – update on disability action plan

• The three electoral agencies are continuing to work positively to deliver on the commitments made in Access 08 – the accessibility action plan for 2008 for people with disabilities as described in this recent update.

Election roadshow educator sought

• Empowering and educating for elections is the aim of an election year roadshow to be developed by the Electoral Commission to reach teachers, community service providers and leaders and others in daily contact with people less likely to vote, including young, Maori, Pacific peoples, the disabled, older voters and those from a non-English speaking background. The roadshow will work alongside relevant outreach by the Electoral Enrolment Centre and Chief Electoral Office. The commission is currently recruiting a resource developer and presenter to assist.

Citizenship focus to new curriculum welcomed

• The Electoral Commission is welcoming the new school curriculum for its strong focus on citizenship. "A healthy democracy depends on people finding and experiencing the power of their political voice," says commission chief executive Dr Helena Catt. "The framework as a whole emphasises citizenship with its community and participation values and the key competency of participating and contributing, while the social sciences learning area means students' inquiry should see them build practical knowledge and skills to help shape their community and country from an early age ."

Tertiary scholarships up for grabs

• Wallace Scholarship applications close Friday, 1 February, for tertiary students looking to explore any of a range of nominated topics: The political life of NZ's under-30s; NZ's political web and 2008 general election online; New migrant attitudes, abilities and ambitions for a political life in NZ; The challenge of citizenship education in the new New Zealand Curriculum Framework; Enabling or entangling? - state funding of political parties and/or regulation of election campaigns.

Electoral Commission annual report

• Issues highlighted in the Electoral Commission’s Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2007 tabled in Parliament on 8 November included continued laxness of parties in meeting statutory compliance obligations, international assistance including to Timor-Leste, a research programme focused on Maori electoral participation, and a lack of funding certainty for an election-year public information campaign.

Ontario rejects MMP

• The Canadian province of Ontario voted 64% to 36% on 10 October in favour of retaining First Past the Post over a Mixed Member Proportional system proposed by a Citizens Assembly. Academics James Allan and Therese Arseneau offered competing interpretations of the inferences for New Zealand in The Press.

Latest youth engagement research

• Lost in Translation: (Mis)Understanding Youth Engagement, published last month, analyses and expands upon six individual studies commissioned by the Canadian Policy Research Network. The central finding is that 'Generation Y' – those born after 1979 – is far from apathetical and apolitical. However, while very much tuned into small "p" political life, young Canadians are increasingly disenchanted with our formal political institutions and politics as currently practiced.
• Young people, new technologies, and political engagement was the title of a multi-disciplinary workshop hosted by the University of Surrey in July. A conference report, including many of the presentations, is now available. Electoral Commission communications manager Peter Northcote reported on the commission’s 2005 trial of texting and direct mail as a turnout motivator for first-time voters and the newly enrolled.

Subscriptions & feedback

• Your thoughts on format and content are welcome by e-mail to feedback@elections.org.nz.
• If you've received this e-mail indirectly then you are welcome to set-up you own subscription.
• If you no longer wish to receive this occasional newsletter then you are welcome to unsubscribe.