The MMP System
New Zealand uses the mixed member proportional (MMP) system.
Under MMP, voters cast two votes: a ‘party vote’ that determines the overall composition of the 120-seat Parliament and an ‘electorate vote’ to elect a local MP for their geographical constituency.
Each party submits a ranked party list to the Electoral Commission of New Zealand before the polls.
Parties then elect candidates from this list as list MPs.
The electorate vote does not alter the overall party representation in Parliament.
Voters can split their vote.
Giving both votes to one political party is a ‘double tick’.
Split voting system
A split voting system is an electoral system that allows to cast votes for candidates from different political parties in a single election.
This is in contrast to straight-ticket voting, where voters choose candidates from the same political party for every office up for election.
Split voting systems are most common in countries with (MMP) electoral systems.
Split voting systems are also used in some countries with other electoral systems, such as parallel voting systems and single transferable vote systems.
First-past-the-post voting system
First-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system is an electoral system in which voters cast a single vote for a candidate in a constituency.
The candidate with the most votes wins the election.
FPTP is the simplest form of majority voting.
It is used in many countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and India.
In an FPTP election, the country is divided into a number of constituencies.
Each of which elects one representative to the legislature.
On election day, voters receive a ballot paper with a list of candidates.
Voters mark one (and only one) candidate on the ballot paper.
The candidate with the most votes in each constituency is declared the winner.
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