ambassador

a person chosen to represent a nation or particular group.

ballot box

sealed box at a polling booth in which voters place ballots

ballot paper

paper on which voters mark their choice.

Beehive

the term given for the Parliament building of New Zealand (refers to the shape and look of the building)       

Cabinet

a committee of MPs selected by the Prime Minister to make significant government decisions.

communities

groups of people generally living close to each other.

candidate

a person who has been nominated to stand for a position in an election.

election

the occasion when people are voted into power in a democratic system.

elect (verb)

to nominate and install a person in power by voting

Electoral Commission

An independent body that carries out a number of functions for a parliamentary election.

electoral roll

list of all registered voters for an electorate.

electorate

a geographic region used to elect a general electorate MP or a Maori electorate MP.

electorate vote

the vote each voter has under MMP for a person to be the electorate MP

Fale Fono (Samoan)

The Samoan Parliament

federal government

a system of government where power is held by local states or territories as well as a central government.

governance

the act, process, and/or power of governing

Government

the people who have the power to govern.

Governor-General

the person who represents the Crown (that is, the Queen) in a Commonwealth country (for example, in New Zealand)

House of Representatives

the location where MPs meet to make laws in New Zealand

list MP

MP elected to Parliament from a party list.

Matai (Samoan)

Chief

Maori electorate

area of the country where people on the Maori roll cast an electorate vote for an electorate MP.

Member of Parliament (MP)

person elected to Parliament as an electorate MP or a list MP.

majority vote winner

a person/group that 'wins' a vote by receiving over half the votes.

Mixed Member Proportional (MMP)

voting system NZ adopted in 1993 - gives voters two votes - one for a party and one for an electoral candidate.

party list

list of candidates nominated by a political party in the order the party want the candidates elected.

Parliament

makes laws in New makes laws in New Zealand. Includes the House of Representatives and the Governor General.

Party vote

the vote under MMP for a political party

plurality vote winner

The person or group that 'wins' because they receive the most votes (see majority vote)

Prime Minister

the chief minister who leads the government

rules

written and unwritten guidelines some of which are enforced by laws.

roles

the actions taken with regard to responsibility to others or a task.

responsibilities

the requirements that follow a position or status.

voter

a person who votes at a general election, by-election or referendum