Less Than Half of Voters Think Local Electoral System Easy to Understand

A new poll released by UMR Research shows that just 43% of voters think that the system used in local authority elections is easy to understand.

- Local authority elections use a mix of two systems – First Past the Post and Single Transferable Vote.

- The proportion who think the local electoral system is easy to understand is lower than the proportion who think the MMP system used for general elections is easy to understand.

- The numbers saying the local electoral system is easy to understand is particularly low in Auckland (32%) and amongst Asians (15%), Pacific people (25% on a small sub-sample) and Māori (28%).

- 49% feel they have a good idea what local elected officials do.

The poll also shows that 87% of over 60 year olds think they are certain to vote in the upcoming local authority elections, compared with just 44% of under 30 year olds. 92% of over 60s are interested in the local elections, compared with 55% of under 30s.

Aucklanders are interested in the Super City election, but still not particularly likely to vote.

- 79% of Aucklanders are more interested in the election, compared with 75% of Cantabrians (prior to the earthquake) and 70% of Wellingtonians.

- 63% of Aucklanders claim to be certain to vote, behind both Cantabrians (69%) and Wellingtonians (68%).

Interest is particularly low in Otago (64% interested, 60% certain to vote).

The data is from UMR Research’s latest online survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,000 New Zealanders aged 18 years and over .

ENDS

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