Covers topics including when your electorate vote has wider impact, overhang, coalitions and tactical voting, what happens to votes for parties not crossing threshold, list MPs, and the process by which MMP could be changed.

Can my electorate vote change a party's total share of seats?

Not usually, only when you are in an electorate where:

• A party needs to win your electorate to cross the threshold in order toget any seats as it might get less than 5% of all party votes.
• Winning it will give a party more electorate seats than its share from the party vote - called an "overhang".
• It might be won by an independent or candidate from a party that is not after the party vote.

What happens to the votes cast for a party that doesn't cross the threshold?

Party votes cast for parties that don't cross the threshold are disregarded in the allocation process which uses a mathematical formula and not percentages to share out the seats.  They are not in any way reallocated to the other parties. 

A party vote cast for a party that does not cross threshold has no impact on the number of seats other parties will receive.  In this sense it has the same impact as a non-vote - exactly none - except that the voter's electorate vote will have helped decide that particular contest. 

While the party vote is disregarded in this case, it is certainly not "wasted".  First, you have the satisfaction of having cast your vote according to your own conscience and for your own reasons.  Secondly, a vote cast for an unsuccessful party will influence both its own future, as well as the policies of other parties that might want to attract its voters in future elections.

How do overhang seats happen, who gets them, and what do they mean?

If a party wins more electorate seats than its share of seats determined by the party vote then the extra seats are not taken away and the number of MPs in parliament increases, for the life of that parliament.

All of the electorate seats won by the party are kept as they have been fairly elected by those electorates.  But, so as not to disadvantage other parties, the number of extra seats is not taken out of the 120 so that 120 are kept for proportional allocation.  So, while the overhang (say of "x" seats) is created by the relevant party, the overhang seats actually go to the parties allocated the last "x" seats from the 120.  Any electorate or list seat vacancies that occur during the life of that parliament are dealt with as usual.

What happens if an electorate is won by an independent or candidate from a party not contesting the party vote?

The number of seats available for proportional allocation is reduced from 120 by the number of electorate seats won by independents or candidates from parties not contesting the party vote.

Do the larger parties "have to have" a coalition partner to govern?'

No, but a government does need to be able to win important votes in parliament to stay in power and to pass the legislation that it wants.  This generally means being sure of the support of one more than half the number of MPs in parliament.  Because MMP lets voters elect a range of parties reflecting their individual views it is less likely that any one party will be able to govern alone.

A minority government may be created from parties that between them have less than half of all MPs, but they will need an agreement with one or more other parties to be sure of winning confidence votes so that they stay in power.  They will need to reach agreement on support for each piece of legislation.

A majority coalition government is made up of parties that do hold over half of the MPs, while a minority coalition government is made up of parties that do not hold over half of the MPs.

It is important to remember that the election is not just about government, but who gets into parliament.  Parliament has crucial roles in scrutiny of the details of legislation and in questioning government.  The work of MPs on select committees is important in that they look at the details of a proposed law, hear public submissions and petitions, as well as conduct reviews and inquiries.  The Opposition also helps hold the government to account.

Should I think about likely coalitions when casting my vote?

If you are a supporter of a party that is seeking to lead a government you wouldn't usually consider giving your party vote to a possible coalition partner unless that party is at risk of falling below 5% of the party vote and unlikely to win an electorate.  This is because the party would still be in parliament and you would simply be helping to sacrifice seats of your preferred party to the other one.

However, if a potential coalition party to your preferred party was relying on winning in your electorate in order to get any MPs in at all, then you might support the second party's electorate candidate to try to ensure it qualifies for MPs based on its party vote.  For instance, in 2002 a party vote of 1.7% brought 2 MPs into parliament because the party had won an electorate.

Or, if you did not want that party in parliament you might vote for another leading contender for the seat, even if they are from a different party to the one you support with your party vote.

This case is the only time your electorate vote might influence any coalition outcome through helping or hindering a party getting into parliament through crossing, or not, the electorate threshold for an allocation of seats based on its party vote.

Don't coalitions give minor parties power that is out of proportion to their size in parliament?

That has not been the general experience in New Zealand and overseas.  Certainly, they will attempt to negotiate an agreement with the major party in policy areas central to their manifesto.  The government will often have a choice of parties to seek support from in order to pass a particular piece of legislation.

Are list MPs really elected or accountable?

List MPs are elected by the nationwide party vote which determines each party's share of seats.  Party lists are a formal nomination of candidates for election, ordered in the sequence the party wants them to enter parliament.  List candidates are selected by the party, as electorate candidates have always been. 

Who comes into parliament off the party list depends on how many seats they received due to the party vote and how many electorate MPs they have.  List MPs are used to make up the difference between electorate MPs and total allocation.  The full list for each party is made available to voters and the news media who should scrutinise candidates on the lists as much as they do electorate candidates.

But don't I have more say in who gets to be my electorate MP?

The only choice you have as a voter is between the candidates nominated - whether in an electorate contest or the chase for the party vote.  Each party decides who its candidates will be.  If you want to influence who a party puts up for either race then you should join the party as the law that brought in MMP requires parties to have democratic processes for candidate selection.  If the party you prefer nominates an electorate candidate or a party list that you cannot stand then that might be a reason not to vote for them.

Doesn't this mean a failed electorate candidate can get in the "back door" through the party list?

That's a different door - hence the "Mixed Member" bit to our electoral system's name.  An electorate contest is a local one, decided by the roughly 40,000 voters in each electorate.  Deciding who speaks for you is a different decision from which party you most want to see in parliament or government.  The only time the two questions really intersect is if a party is chasing the seat to cross threshold and get any MPs in parliament.  Simply because an electorate candidate does not have the most support in the local race does not mean they are not fit to be an MP at all.  Their party thinks they are up to the job having nominated them in both races.  Every electorate can decide its local representative but it is not able to veto a list candidate who is elected to parliament through the party vote of the entire country.

Aren't we overdue for another referendum on MMP?

The law that brought in MMP required parliament to review how MMP was going after the second election and to consider whether a further referendum should be held.  There was no further compulsory referendum put into the law, although some parties and politicians have made election promises of one from time to time.  The required review was done by an all-party select committee in 2001.  The majority of the committee "accepted there was a consensus ... that MMP needs more time and that it was too soon to make a decision on its future".

Should a government want to change the MMP part of the electoral system it could only happen with a 75% majority vote in parliament, or through a binding referendum getting over 50% support from voters.

Related

Parliament and Government - Election '05

From FPP to MMP - History of the Vote