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- Last Update: 27 Apr 2006
Glossary
A
absolute majority 
More than half (ie, 50 percent + 1).
See also: simple majority
advance vote
An ordinary or Special Declaration Vote cast between nomination day and election day. Also sometimes called an early vote.
B
ballot box
The box at a polling place that voters put ballot papers into at a general election, by-election or referendum. The ballot box is sealed before voting commences, and is not opened until the start of the election night count.
ballot paper
A paper on which voters mark their choice at a referendum or election.
See also: MMP ballot paper
binding referendum
A referendum where the government or Parliament must follow the winning vote.
See also: indicative referendum, use of referendum, referendums.
boundaries
The physical boundaries of an electorate determined by the Representation Commission according to criteria specified in the Electoral Act 1993.
See also: map showing boundaries, how boundaries are determined
broadcasting allocations
The allocations made by the Electoral Commission to enable political parties to broadcast election programmes on radio and television during the election period. Allocations are of:
- time provided by Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand for broadcasting opening addresses and closing addresses,
- and public money appropriated by Parliament to enable parties to produce election programmes and buy broadcasting time.
See also: election broadcasting
by-election
An election in an electorate seat to fill a vacancy that arises between general elections.
See also: filling vacant seats between electionsBack to the Top
C
Cabinet
A committee of ministers which makes almost all significant government decisions. Some members of the Executive may not be in Cabinet. Cabinet members are appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, who also allocates portfolios.
candidate
A person who is a New Zealand citizen who is enrolled as an elector and who has been nominated with his or her consent for election to Parliament as an electorate candidate, or a list candidate, or both. (Electorate candidates do not not have to be enrolled in the same electorate or on the same roll-type as the electorate for which they are standing.)
candidate selection
the method used by each political party to choose their candidates. Each party makes its own rules. A registered political party must have democratic candidate selection rules.
caretaker government
A government that continues in office to keep the country running but does not make new policy decisions. A government will be a caretaker government:
- between when a general election is called and either it is clearly returned to government or an alternative government is sworn in, or
- after it has been defeated in a vote of confidence in the House until either it wins a vote of confidence, an alternative government is sworn in, or a general election is called (as above)
See also: parliament and government formation.
Chief Electoral Office
The division of the Ministry of Justice responsible for conducting general elections, by-elections and referenda.
Chief Electoral Officer
The person appointed by the Secretary for Justice as head of the Chief Electoral Office.
Chief Registrar of Electors
The Chief Executive of New Zealand Post Limited, in his or her capacity as the person responsible for compiling and maintaining the electoral rolls.
See also: Electoral Enrolment Centre, Registrar of Electors.
citizens initiated referendum
An indicative referendum held under the Citizens Initiated Referenda Act 1993 following a petition requesting a referendum that is signed by at least 10 percent of all registered electors.
See also: use of referendum, past referendum results.
Clear intention test
The overriding test to determine whether a vote at a general election, by-election or referendum should be counted is whether the voter has clearly indicated the candidate or political party or answer for whom or for which he or she desired to vote.
See also: informal vote.
close of the poll
The time when all voting ceases on Election Day currently 7pm.
closed list
A party list in which voters cannot alter a party's ordering of its list candidates. This is what is used in New Zealand.
See also: open list.
closing address
A broadcast presentation (often including a speech by the party leader) at the end of a party's formal election campaign. Time for opening addresses and closing addresses is made available on TVNZ and RNZ. This time is allocated between registered political parties by the Electoral Commission.
See also: opening address, allocation of closing address time.
coalition government
A majority government or a minority government made up of two or more parties.
See also: single-party government.
component party
A political party that is a member of another party that is registered or is applying for registration, or a political party that has combined some or all of its membership with another party to form a third party that is registered or is applying for registration.
Defined in the Electoral Act 1993
Confidence (vote)
The parliamentary test on whether a government can continue in office is that it have the support of an absolute majority of the members of the House of Representatives who vote on certain crucial votes in the House. The term 'confidence and supply' is often used although the two are separate types of vote. A minority government will often seek an agreement for support on confidence and supply votes.
See also: supply
constituency
A geographic area defined and named by the Representation Commission to elect a general electorate MP or a Maori electorate MP. More commonly called an electorate in New Zealand.
See also: electorate boundaries, electorate vote,.
constituency candidate
A person nominated for election to an electorate seat. Also commonly called an electorate candidate.
See also: dual candidate, list candidate, nomination.
constituency candidate donation
one or more donations made by a person or body of persons to a constituency candidate of money or the equivalent of money or goods and services totalling more than $1,000 (incl. GST) in aggregate for use in the candidate's personal campaign for election.
See also: party donation, return of election expenses.
constitution
New Zealand does not have one codified document that contains the constitution.
In New Zealand, the set of statutes, decisions of the courts, common law powers, and constitutional conventions which together establish and describe the major institutions of government, state their principal powers and broadly regulate their exercise.
constitutional convention
An important unwritten rule or practice concerning the constitution.
constitutional monarchy
A system of government in which the actions of the King or Queen as Head of State are constrained by the provisions of the constitution. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy.
corrupt practice
A serious offence against the electoral process, resulting in a fine and/or imprisonment and entry of the name of the person who committed the corrupt practice on the corrupt practices list for three years.
Corrupt Practices List
A list compiled by each Registrar of Electors of the names of persons found to have committed an electorally corrupt practice. Anyone placed on this list is not permitted to enrol as an elector.
current financial member
A registered political party must have 500 current financial members. Proof of this membership if provided through copies of singed and dated membership forms which indicate that a membership fee has been paid.
See also: how to register a political party
D
declaration of result
The Chief Electoral Officer declares the result of the election of:
- each electorate MP by notice in the New Zealand Gazette after the final count in that electorate -
- list MPs by notice in the New Zealand Gazette after all electorate MPs are declared elected, the totals of all the valid party votes have been received from all the Returning Officers, and the Sainte-Lagu¿?ormula has been applied -
- a referendum by notice in the New Zealand Gazette
See also: result of 2002 election, results of past elections, process for the count
deposit
The $300 that each electorate candidate must pay to the Returning Officer by noon on nomination day. This is returned to the candidate if he or she gets at least 5 percent of all the electorate votes cast in that electorate.
disallowed vote
A vote at a General election, by-election or referendum that is not eligible to be counted, eg, because it was cast for an electorate by a person who is not a registered elector for that electorate, or because it arrived after the deadline for receipt of special votes, or because there was some irregularity in the way it was issued. Sometimes called an invalid vote.
See also: informal vote
dissolution of Parliament
The end of a Parliament before its term has expired in order to hold a general election.
dual candidate
A person nominated as both an electorate candidate and as a list candidate at the same General election.
E
early election
A General election held some time before the end of Parliament's three year term.
early vote
Another term for an advance vote which is an ordinary or Special Declaration Vote cast between nomination day and Election Day.
EasyVote Card
A card, included in the voter information pack, sent to every person enrolled by writ day. The card contains basic information on the elector, including their reference number on the electoral roll. Voters will be asked to hand over the card at the polling place to speed up the voting process.
Effective Party Votes
The Party votes cast for parties that cross the threshold.
See also: Sainte-Lagu¿?llocation process
election broadcasting allocations
The allocations made by the Electoral Commission to enable political parties to broadcast election programmes on radio and television during the election period. Allocations are of:
- time provided by Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand for broadcasting opening addresses and closing addresses,
- and public money appropriated by Parliament to enable parties to produce election programmes and buy broadcasting time.
See also: broadcast allocation decision for the 2002 election; process of making broadcast allocation
Election Day
A term often used to refer to the day (which must be a Saturday) specified in the writ on which a general election or by-election is held.
election expenses
the expenses on advertising, broadcasting, printing and publishing incurred by an electorate candidate in the three months before Election Day in respect of his or her personal campaign for election
See also: return of election expenses.
election period
Under the Broadcasting Act 1989, the period between writ day and the close of the day before Election Day.
election petition
A challenge to the result of an election heard by three judges of the High Court or by the Court of Appeal.
election programme
a programme broadcast on radio or television which encourages or persuades, or appears to encourage or persuade voters to vote for, or against a political party or candidate; or advocates support for, or opposes, a candidate, or a political party; or notifies meetings held or to be held in connection with an election.
See also: Broadcasting Act 1998, section 69
elector
a person who is included in the electoral roll for an electorate.
See also: how to enrol, Electoral Act 1993
The statute containing most of the legal provisions concerning New Zealand's parliamentary electoral system.
Electoral Commission
An independent body established under the Electoral Act 1993 to carry out a number of functions related to the Parliamentary electoral system.
electoral district
A geographic area defined and named by the Representation Commission to elect a general electorate MP or a Maori electorate MP. In New Zealand usually called an electorate.
Electoral Enrolment Centre
The business unit of New Zealand Post that is responsible for compiling and maintaining the electoral roll for each electorate. Contact them
See also: Chief Registrar of Electors, Registrar of Electors,
electoral roll
The list of all the registered electors for a particular electorate kept by the Registrar of Electors.
electoral system
The general name for all the rules concerning elections, ie, the voting system, boundaries, registration of electors, candidacy, campaign spending, broadcasting, etc.
Specified in the Electoral Act 1993
electorate
A geographic area defined and named by the Representation Commission to elect a general electorate MP or a Maori electorate MP.
See also: map of electorates, determining number of electorates, drawing electorate boundaries
electorate boundaries
The physical boundaries of an electorate determined by the Representation Commission according to criteria specified in the Electoral Act 1993, section s 35 to 46.
See also: map of electorates, drawing electorate boundaries
electorate candidate
A person nominated for election to an electorate seat. In the Electoral Act 1993 the term constituency candidate is used
See also: dual candidate, list candidate, nomination.
electorate MP
A member of Parliament elected to represent an electorate by winning a simple majority of electorate votes in that electorate. List of MPs by electorate.
electorate seat
A seat in parliament held by an MP elected to an electorate
See also: list seat
electorate vote
The vote each voter has under MMP for an electorate candidate for the general electorate or the Maori electorate for which the voter is enrolled. It is used to elect the electorate MP. Electorate votes are cast on the right hand column of the MMP ballot paper.
See also: basics on MMP
enrolled elector
a person who is included in the electoral roll for an electorate.
See also: how to enrol
entrenched sections
The term (along with 'reserved sections') given to some sections of the Electoral Act 1993 that deal with the basic features of the electoral system and are protected against the ordinary processes of legislative amendment because they can only be amended by a vote of 75 percent of all MPs or by a majority of those who vote at a referendum.
Electoral Act 1993, section 268
Executive
The Government, i.e, all Ministers (whether or not a member of Cabinet) and all Associate Ministers and Under-Secretaries. Government website
Executive Council
The body through which the government as a whole formally gives advice to the Governor-General. By convention, all Ministers of the Crown are members of the Executive Council, whether or not they are members of Cabinet. The Governor-General presides over, but is not a member of, the Executive Council.
expiry of Parliament
Parliament expires three years after the day fixed for the return of the writs for a general election, and (unless Parliament has already been dissolved) the Governor-General must then direct the Clerk of the Writs to issue the writs for a general election.
F
final count
A count conducted by each Returning Officer of the electorate votes and party votes cast at a General election, by-election or referendum after the 10-day period for receiving special votes has expired and the scrutiny of the rolls has been completed.
See also: process of conducting the final count; election night count
financial members of political party
A registered political party must have 500 current financial members. Proof of this membership if provided through copies of singed and dated membership forms which indicate that a membership fee has been paid.
See also: how to register a political party
First-Past-the-Post
A voting system based on single-member electorates in which the candidate who wins a simple majority of votes is elected. Used in New Zealand before MMP was adopted.
G
Gazette
The New Zealand Gazette, the regular publication by the Department of Internal Affairs containing official notices. Gazette website
general election
An election of all members of Parliament following the dissolution or expiry of Parliament.
general electoral population
the total number of people from the census minus the Maori electoral population.
See also: determining the number of electorates
general electorate
A geographic area defined and named by the Representation Commission which elects one electorate MP through the electorate votes of those on the General roll in that area.
See also: electorate boundaries; Maori electorate, map of electorates
General roll
A collective name for all the electoral rolls for the general electorates.
Government initiated referendum
A referendum prompted by the government and specified in legislation
See also: CIR, entrenched legislation, table of referendums, the use of referendums
Governor-General
The person appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the New Zealand government to be the Sovereign's representative in New Zealand. Governor-General wbsite
H
Head of State
The Sovereign in his or her capacity as the formal head of the New Zealand state. Currently Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of New Zealand.
House of Representatives
The only house of New Zealand legislature, members of which are known as members of Parliament, or MPs. Often referred to as 'parliament'. Web site for House of Representatives
I
Independent candidate
An electorate candidate who is not standing on behalf of a political party.
indicative referendum
A referendum where the result is not binding on the Government or Parliament.
See also: binding referendum, use of referendum, table with result of referendums.
informal vote
A vote at a General election, by-election or referendum that is not a disallowed vote but does not satisfy the clear intention test.
invalid vote
A vote at a General election, by-election or referendum that is not eligible to be counted, eg, because it was cast for an electorate by a person who is not a registered elector for that electorate, or because it arrived after the deadline for receipt of special votes, or because there was some irregularity in the way it was issued. Also called a disallowed vote
See also: informal vote.
J/K
judicial recount
A recount conducted by a District Court Judge of electorate votes and/or party votes cast in an electorate.
L
Legislative Council
New Zealand's appointed upper house from 1852 until its abolition in 1950.
list candidate
A candidate for election as a list MP who has been included on a party list.
See also: dual candidate, electorate candidate, nomination.
list MP
An MP elected to Parliament from a party list.
See also: party lists at the last election
list seat
A seat in parliament held by an MP elected from a party list
See also: electorate seat
M
majority
Strictly speaking, more than half but often used to refer to a simple majority. Often used to refer to the winning margin of an electorate candidate.
See also: absolute majority
majority government
A government made up of one or more political parties that together have an absolute majority of MPs in the House of Representatives, that is one more than half of the MPs.
See also: minority government, coalition government.
Maori electoral option
The period after each five-yearly census when each person on the Maori roll, and each person on the General roll who said they were Maori when they last registered as an elector, is able to choose whether to be enrolled on the Maori roll or on the General roll for the period until the next Maori Electoral Option.
See also: details of the Maori electoral option
Maori electoral population
The Maori electoral population is calculated by taking the ratio of the number of people registered on the Maori electoral rolls compared to the total number of people on all the electoral rolls (general and Maori) who said they were of Maori decent when they last enrolled.
See also: Maori electoral option, determining the number of electorates
Maori electorate
A geographic area defined and named by the Representation Commission which elects one electorate MP through the electorate votes of those on the Maori roll in that area.
See also: electorate boundaries; process of setting boundaries, electorates map.
Maori option
The period after each five-yearly census when each person on the Maori roll, and each person on the General roll who said they were Maori when they last registered as an elector, is able to choose whether to be enrolled on the Maori roll or on the General roll for the period until the next Maori Electoral Option.
See also: details of the Maori electoral option
Maori roll
A collective name for all the electoral rolls for the Maori electorates.
See also: Maori electoral option, general roll
Maori seats
The seats in parliament filled by those electorate MPs elected by those on the Maori roll voting in a Maori electorate. There are currently 7 of them.
See also: process of setting boundaries, electorates map.
Member of Parliament
A person elected to Parliament; under MMP, each Member of Parliament will be elected as either an electorate MP or as a list MP.
Minority Government
A government made up of one or more parties which together do not have an absolute majority of all the seats in the House of Representatives, and which therefore rely on the support of other parties outside the government on votes of confidence and in order to pass legislation.
See also: majority government, coalition.
Mixed Member Proportional (MMP)
The voting system New Zealand adopted in the binding referendum on electoral reform held in 1993.
Each voter has two votes, one for a political party and one for a local electorate MP. Each party's share of all the seats in Parliament depends on its share of all the party votes, provided the party crossed the threshold by winning at least 5% of all the party votes or wins at least one General or M¿?i electorate seat. Each qualifying party receives enough list seats to add to its electorate seats to reach its total entitlement to seats as determined by its party votes.
See also: basic description of MMP, table of recent election results, details of an MMP count
MMP ballot paper
There are two columns on the single piece of paper. In the left hand column in the party vote and in the right hand column in the electorate vote. Sample MMP ballot paper.
N
nomination
each electorate candidate must be nominated by noon on nomination day, either
by two other persons who are enrolled electors for the electorate for which the candidate wishes to stand, or by the secretary of a registered political party
a list candidate is nominated by being included on a party list submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer by the secretary of a registered political party by noon on nomination day.
Each electorate candidate and each list candidate must consent to being nominated.
nomination day
The date specified in the writ for a General election or by-election by noon on which all nominations for electorate candidates must be made to a Returning Officer, and in the case of a General election by noon on which all party lists must be submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer.
See also: timing of an election
O
opening address
A presentation (often including a speech by the party leader) at the start of a party's formal election campaign. Time for opening addresses and closing addresses is made available on TVNZ and RNZ. This time is allocated between registered political parties by the Electoral Commission.
See also: allocation of opening address time
open list
A party list in which voters can alter a party's ordering of its list candidates, e.g. by expressing a preference for a particular candidate. New Zealand uses a closed list
ordinary vote
A vote cast by a voter on Election Day at a polling booth for the electorate for which the voter is a registered elector.
See also: special declaration vote; advance vote
overhang seats
The name sometimes given to electorate seats won by a registered political party in excess of the total number of seats to which it would be entitled based on its share of the effective party votes.
See also: details of MMP calculation
overseas vote
A special declaration vote cast outside New Zealand.
See also: how to cast an overseas vote
P
Parliament
Strictly speaking, the legislative body in New Zealand comprising the House of Representatives and the Sovereign, or the Governor-General as the Sovereign's representative, although the term is commonly used to refer to the House of Representatives alone. House of Representatives website
party donation
Donations made by a person or body of persons to a political party of money or the equivalent of money or goods and services totalling more than $10,000 (incl. GST) singley or in aggregate.
See also: constituency candidate donation, table of party donation returns, details of what a party must do in a donation return, Electoral Act 1993, section 214.
party list
A list of the names of candidates nominated by a registered political party, in the order the party wants to see the candidates elected to Parliament.
See also: dual candidate, electorate candidate, party lists from the last election, candidate selection
party logo
The symbol or emblem of a registered political party or an unregistered political party.
See also: registered party logo, details on how to register a logo
party vote
Party votes help decide how many MPs or seats each party gets in parliament. Parties who cross the threshold get a share of seats in parliament close to their share of party votes. The Sainte-Lagu¿?ormula is to be used to determine how many seats each party will have.
See also: details of MMP; using the Sainte-Lagu¿?ormula
permanent resident:
A person who is not a New Zealand citizen but has been granted the right to live in New Zealand indefinitely and therefore qualified to be a registered elector but, in general, not to be a candidate.
petition
A petition is a list of signatures agreeing to a statement or request which is presented to parliament. Details of how to submit a petition are here.
An election petition is a challenge to the result of an election heard by three judges of the High Court or by the Court of Appeal.
political party
In general, a group of people organised to gain and exercise political influence through the election of members of the party to the House of Representatives.
See also: registered political party
Polling Day
The day (which must be a Saturday) specified in the writ on which an election or referendum is held; sometimes referred to as Election Day.
polling booth
A term often used to refer the portioned area within a polling place where a voter goes to cast their vote in private
polling place
The location where votes are taken for a General election, by-election, or referendum, containing one or more polling booths for one or more general electorates and/or Maori electorates.
postal vote
A system where electors receive a voting paper in the mail and, after voting, return it in a freepost pre-addressed envelope to the Returning Officer. Used for local body elections in New Zealand.
Preferential Voting (PV)
A voting system (sometimes called Alternative Vote) in which each electorate elects one MP and the elector lists candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the first preference votes the lowest polling candidate is eliminated and his or her votes are redistributed according to 2nd preferences. This continues until a candidate gains more than 50 percent of the vote and is thus elected. Used for the Australian lower house elections
proportional voting system
A voting system in which a political party's share of all the seats in Parliament is close to its share of the popular vote; there are many different types of proportional voting systems, and many variations within each type. MMP is a proportional voting system.
provisional enrolment
an application to enrol as an elector at age 17 which is converted to full registration on that person's 18th birthday.
Q
quotient
In the Sainte-Lagu¿?ormula used in MMP elections, the total number of party votes received by each party is divided by successive odd numbers. The resulting values are called quotients.
See also: details of using the Sainte-Lagu¿?ormula
R
recount
A judicial recount is conducted by a District Court Judge of electorate votes and/or party votes cast in an electorate.
referendum
a vote of all enrolled electors on some matter, which may be held in conjunction with a general election or at some other time.
See also: binding referendum, citizens initiated referendum, indicative referendum, use of referendums, table of referendum results
Register of Political Parties
A list of the names, abbreviations and component parties of the political parties that have been registered by the Electoral Commission under Part IV of the Electoral Act 1993; only registered political parties may nominate a party list and thus appear on the party vote part of the ballot paper.
See also: unregistered political party, the Register of Political Parties, how to register a political party, Electoral Act 1993, sections 62-67.
registered elector
a person who is included in the electoral roll for an electorate. More commonly called an enrolled elector
registered party logo
A party logo that has been registered by the Electoral Commission and which may then appear on the ballot paper for a General election or by-election.
See also: how to register a logo, Electoral Act 1993, section 67
registered political party
A political party that is included on the Register of Political Parties.
See also: unregistered political party, the Register of Political Parties, how to register a political party, Electoral Act 1993, sections 62-67.
Registrar of Electors
The person appointed by the Chief Registrar of Electors for a general electorate or for a Maori electorate to compile and maintain the electoral roll for that electorate.
Representation Commission
An independent body that decides the boundaries of the general electorates and the Maori electorates after each five-yearly population census and Maori Electoral Option.
See also: how boundaries are drawn
reserve powers
The exercise by the Governor-General of formal powers to appoint and dismiss a Prime Minister, and to dissolve Parliament, in the rare situations when these powers have to be exercised on the basis of independent judgement rather than on the advice of the Prime Minister.
reserved sections
The term (along with 'entrenched sections') given to some sections of the Electoral Act 1993 that deal with the basic features of the electoral system and are protected against the ordinary processes of legislative amendment because they can only be amended by a vote of 75 percent of all MPs or by a majority of those who vote at a referendum.
Electoral Act 1993, section 268