Today is election day

[Ernie]

Well today is the big day here in New Zealand.

Amongst the many parties contesting this election, there are two major ones, Labour and National.

Labour is hoping for a third term to sneak through more of their socialist PC policies and to further our links with the repressive Chinese govt and the UN and further alienate us from the USA.  In this last week, they have sold all of our airforce fighters and trainers for a song.

National is promoting common sense and the strengthening our links with our traditional allies, Australia and the USA, less Govt interference in the lives of the population and the minimisation of reliance on the extensive welfare "Nanny State"  which has grown exponentially in the last two terms of the incumbent labour govenrment.

I wonder which way to cast my vote :D :D

[DonE911]

I didn't see anything on CNN this morning about your elections..... I wonder why? 

Keep us updated....

[Ernie]

I didn't see anything on CNN this morning about your elections..... I wonder why?

Keep us updated....

It's 9:00 am Saturday Sept 17th now and the polls just opened.

[Tom]

There ya go, Don.  CNN doesn't run the news on Saturday.  :D :D  It's cartoon day. ;D

[thedeeredude]

There ya go, Don. CNN doesn't run the news on Saturday. :D :D It's cartoon day. ;D

Ya mean it ain't cartoon day everday on CNN?? : It's like never ending funnie's section from the newspaper, 24/7 on TV. :D

[Ernie]

Hmmm cartoon day, probably rather appropriate

[Tom]

I'm trying to figure out why I haven't heard more about a National Election down under.  It seems that it would have been an interesting thing to follow.  I looked it up on Google and found some articles but am not familiar enough with the people running to understand.   It almost sounds as if a Party is elected rather than a person. 

I guess it's that way here too, but the individuals sure get a lot of hype.

Are the Green Party and New Zealand First, actually parties or more of a lobbiest thing?  I was surprised to read about Parties forming Coalitions.

[CHARLIE]

There was a short article in this morning's St. Paul Pioneer Press about the NZ National election. But it didn't say much about it.

Is the Labour Party the one that is requiring the farmers to outfit their sheep with those gas bags on their rear? :D

[Paul_H]

Oh boy,I'll bet the Sheep in NZ must be nervous  ;)

[Ianab]

Are the Green Party and New Zealand First, actually parties or more of a lobbiest thing?  I was surprised to read about Parties forming Coalitions.

Most of NZ dont understand the elections either  :

But yes.. we have two votes, one for the local rep in parliment and the other for the party. The make up the number of reps in parliment from lists to match the party vote... So a party can have seats in Parliment without winning any seats if they get enough party votes.
Now the 2 main parties have about 40% support each, unless they get over 50% they cant form a government, so they will have to work out a coalition with one or two of the smaller parties to get over 50%..

Confused yet...  ???

Can be a week or two after the votes are counted before we know who the government is...

But we did vote... so I'm allowed to complain about the govtment  now ;)

Ian

[JD_Kid]

HI ya's
could be intresting what way it goes  seem's there is good turn out's   maybe people want a change  or  some people are worried  there will be a change  .. i think one party  will hold the power of the new govt in it's hands  and thats a smaller party   :( it could mean  what a bigger  party stands for would have to be watered down just to gain power 
with some of the vote counted  it seems national is in front  ..i'm sure the kiwis will keep ya updated
catch ya
JD

[Ernie]

Provisional results

There is still left to count, approximately 10% of the votes, those being special votes and overseas votes.  We have been promised a final count by Oct 1 2005 (I hope)

We use a system called MMP (mixed member proportional)

http://www.elections.org.nz/mmp.html

It really is too close to call without the uncounted votes but so far this is it

http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/partystatus.html

Each party has both electoral candidates who win or lose on the day as well as candidates chosen from a published list for each party.  With no successful electoral candidates a party must achieve 5% of the party vote for their list to kick in.  With at least one successful electoral candidate the parties percentage starts right away and the winning party candidate drags list candidates dependant on the party percentage without the need to gain the 5% threshold.

Confused? most of us are :D :D

The provisional results, including the party votes

http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/successfulcand.html

Your observations are most welcome

[thedeeredude]

Ernie, 
   That is awfully confusing, but one question, who won? :D  Is it kind of like England where you get parliament seats according to the percentage of votes recieved by a party?

[WH_Conley]

Gee Ernie, that's as clear as mud to a hillbilly from Ky. I have no idea who won. Course I still don't agree with our system where one candidate can get majority of the popular vote and still lose. I'm not calling names, I just don't understand how this can be. ???

[beenthere]

WH
Makes sense to me. 
Do you want the New York, Chicago, LA, and New Orleans people to do the electing?  I think the system we have is as good as they come.
I would improve it with a registration test (can read, write, and speak english) and students would have to vote 'at home', not 'where' the University is they are attending.

Good luck to you folks in NZ.

[Ernie]

When we figure out who won, I'll let you know.  Probably about two weeks :(

[beenthere]

I see Germany is in a similar struggle, with negotiations among 'rival' groups to win their favor. One learns a lot when election time comes around. But better than a 'bad' dictator.