To decide who to vote for in New Zealand, you can use several tools and resources to inform yourself about parties, candidates, and policies:
- Vote Compass (TVNZ) : This is an interactive tool developed by political scientists that helps you compare your views with party policies and candidates for the New Zealand General Election
- Policy.nz : A comprehensive guide to the general election where you can compare parties, candidates, and their policies to see which align best with your views. It also provides information about electorate candidates and their priorities for your community
- Elections NZ and Vote NZ websites : These provide detailed information about the electoral system (Mixed Member Proportional - MMP), how to enrol, how to vote, and the roles of electorate and list MPs. They explain how your two votes (party and electorate candidate) work in general elections and offer resources to understand the democratic process better
- Local elections : If you are interested in local government, Vote Local and Vote Auckland provide information about local elections, candidates, and how to vote for mayors, councillors, and board members who represent your community
To choose who to vote for, consider:
- Your values and which party or candidate’s policies align with them (use Vote Compass and Policy.nz).
- The candidates running in your electorate and their community priorities.
- Whether you want to be on the general or Māori electoral roll if you are of Māori descent, as this affects your voting options
Make sure you are enrolled to vote to participate in the elections. Enrolment and voting information is available on official government and electoral commission websites
. In summary, there is no single answer to "who to vote for" in New Zealand; it depends on your personal views and priorities. Use the available tools like Vote Compass and Policy.nz to compare parties and candidates to make an informed decision
