The MMP Referendum

Alongside the General Election on November 26, New Zealanders will vote in a referendum on whether or not to keep the MMP (Mixed Member Proportional) electoral system used to elect Members of Parliament.

• People will be asked two questions in the referendum.  First, whether they support keeping MMP or not, and secondly, if there was a change, what alternative system they would prefer.
• An important part of the referendum is that if a majority of people vote for MMP it triggers an independent review, where people can give their ideas on how to make MMP better.
• MMP is a popular voting system which allows voters to vote for the local MP of their choice as well as the party they would prefer in government.  NZ has had MMP for 5 elections.
• Until 1996, New Zealand had First Past the Post (FPP), but the public voted to get rid of it because a party could become government in spite of getting less votes overall than other party.
• Also under FPP your vote was wasted if the majority of people in your electorate voted differently from you.  Under MMP however, people’s party vote still helps decide the Government, regardless of where they live.
• MMP has meant representation in Parliament for some parties that wouldn’t have got there otherwise. It has given more of a voice for more New Zealanders.

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