Referendum - MMP or ??

So apparently when we vote there is also a referendum on our voting system...

http://www.elections.org.nz/elections/2011-referendum-on-the-voting-system.html

I'm interested to see if anyone is going to vote to change the style, and if so, to what? why?

I might have to re-read my introduction to the legal system textbook again

I'm more than happy with MMP, no change from me

god knows why you'd read a text book in relation to this referendum... but good on ya

if you don't understand the various options... or what you desire... this useful tool may help

http://publicaddress.net/referendum/tool/

MMP all the way. You could argue that another system like say STV is even more representative, but I say at the cost of being stupidly complex.

Not to say I don't think our use of MMP could stand a bit of a tweak, at the very least a bit of a review, but god help us if we ever returned back to the dark ages of FPP, even though it could lead to National being the natural party of opposition as it's coalition partners explode.

Just the bit about how MMP works. I can't remember so I think to make an informed decision I should reacquaint myself briefly! I have a memory like a sieve.

Never heard of STV until now, but a quick read seems to suggest that while it's more complex, that's not necessarily a bad thing since voters are essentially just ranking their preferred candidates? If the complexity is kept away from voters, then should be aight...

STV has been one of the options since they first mooted the idea of changing our electoral system

pretty much the system employed in the local body elections

I guess no ones heard of them either

*shakes fist*

MMP > FPP

I think all voting systems are shit though, until people vote on policy and not faces, politics is a farce.

given the faces of our representatives I doubt anyone has EVER voted in this country based on a politicians face, but your point is a valid

Exactly the system used for local body elections in fact, except for mayor, which is still FPP for obvious reasons.


Pech: yeah it's not overly complex in terms of the ballot, but a key part of any electoral system is how easy it is to understand, so the simpler the better.

MMP is a pure democratic system, it doesn't matter where you live your vote is worth exactly the same as everyone else. The same is no true of any pure electorate based system, we'd be foolish to change to a less democratic system. If we revert to FPP we might as well go back to horse drawn carts it's that archaic.