Māori participation research reported

• About 70 participants attended a hui last Friday where the findings of four research projects for the Electoral Commission were outlined.  A common finding of the three projects that sampled Māori opinion is that engagement in politics and voting for Māori appeared most strongly linked to youth, living rurally, and being male. Cultural factors are an important consideration for communication with some Māori, and in the political decision-making of some once they have decided to vote. A literature review of public sector work relating to Māori participation in decision-making and social marketing to Māori found some similarities in approach across the sector, but no synthesised research-based methodologies in widespread use.

Twenty years since Royal Commission

• Monday, 11 December, 2006 marked the 20^th anniversary of the transmittal of the report of the Royal Commission on the Electoral System, which was subtitled "Towards a Better Democracy". The Royal Commission first described MMP, as was later adopted with the binding referendum in 1993 followed by the first election in 1996, 10 years later.  The Royal Commission’s report is now available on the Elections New Zealand website as a series of scanned .pdf files, while History of the Vote gives more background on how New Zealand changed its electoral system.

Wallace Scholarships for tertiary research

• Royal Commission chairman and inaugural Electoral Commission president Sir John Wallace is celebrated through awards and scholarships named in is honour. Grants of $500-$2000 are currently on offer for tertiary students doing research in 2007 of particular interest to the Electoral Commission.  Focus areas sought from applications due 1 February 2007 are: strategies, projects and activities to encourage electoral participation; state funding of political parties; regulation of election campaigns; and teacher professional development for citizenship education.  Applicants are welcome from any discipline. 

Website feedback sought

• The electoral agencies give the Elections New Zealand website a good going over in the first quarter of each calendar year to ensure it continues to serve its diverse users well.  If you’ve got feedback or suggestions on what’s there or not there, how it’s structured or looks, what you’re able or want to do, etc, then we want to hear from you.  Please email feedback@elections.org.nz with your thoughts.

Feedback received for access ’08 action plan    

• The electoral agencies have completed a consultation on how access to general elections for people with disabilities can be improved. A number of organisations and individuals from across the disability sector and the community responded through written submissions and meetings. The feedback received will be used to help develop an action plan for the 2008 general election, to be published by 1 May 2007.

Test your New Zealand electoral knowledge

• An Advanced MMP quiz has just joined its easier cousin (which has up to 1,000 takers a month) for your enjoyment.   Be among the first to give it a go!

Happy holidays!

• This next e-news will be published in February, so the staff of the electoral agencies want to take this opportunity to wish you all the best for the festive season and summer break.  Our final day at work is Friday, 22 December.  The Electoral Commission reopens on Wednesday, 3 January, and the Electoral Enrolment Centre and Chief Electoral Office reopen on Monday, 8 January 2007.  0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56) will be closed on statutory holidays only.

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