First Public Views on MMP Referendum

The first public poll to measure public views on the referendum questions to be asked at next year’s general election shows a tight battle between MMP and switching to another electoral system.

The findings are from UMR Research’s latest survey of a nationally representative sample of 750 New Zealanders aged 18 years and over , and used the exact wording which will be used in the 2011 referendum.

49% of the public want to retain MMP, while 42% favour switching to another electoral system.

First-past-the-post (FPP) was the most popular of four alternative voting systems to MMP with 37% choosing it compared to Single Transferable Vote (18%), Preferential Voting (12%) and the Supplementary Member System (4%).

Some strikingly different views were expressed with more women than men and more younger people than older people wanting to retain MMP. Most women (55%) want to retain MMP as do those under 30 (58%). However, only 43% of men and 39% of those over 60 wanted to retain MMP.

A follow up question shows that there is majority support for either changing MMP or ditching it entirely. Only 23% wanted to keep MMP as it is now compared to 40% who wanted to keep MMP with changes and 32% who would prefer another voting system.

ENDS