About STV and how it might come into use

• According to groups who favour STV, it boosts opportunities for women, for Maori and for people from minority ethnic communities to be elected to councils. Research suggests the system works best when an area is electing at least three representatives. In Christchurch, the decision about STV is likely to have an impact on debate about reorganising the city’s ward and community board numbers and about the number of city councillors.
• Whatever is decided about future Council elections, STV will be part of the 2004 local body elections because the Government has decided that all District Health Boards must use an STV poll.
• To get a poll on the issue, 5 per cent of the voters enrolled at the last election must demand one. In Christchurch, that’s 11,404 voters. If the Council decides to hold a poll or if the public demands one, it would have to be held before mid-May next year. If a poll is held, a simple majority is needed to make a decision binding.
• The Department of Internal Affairs would give councils the software “calculator” needed to run an STV election.
• The STV voting system was developed in the mid-1800s. It got a run in New Zealand early last century when the councils of Woolston Borough and Christchurch City used an STV election format after the Government passed its 1914 Local Elections (Proportional Representation) Act.
• Overseas, STV is used in Ireland, Malta and in some Australian states.
• The 1986 Royal Commission on the Electoral System (the one which favoured MMP for Parliamentary elections) considered STV and said it had the advantage of having a low threshold to give independents and small parties a chance to win seats.

KEY DATES

• 12 September — Deadline for Council decision about whether to change electoral system
• 19 September — Deadline for Council to place public notice about right for community to demand a poll on electoral system
• 18 December — Last day for community to demand a poll on electoral system
• 28 February 2003 — Deadline for Council decision on holding a poll on electoral system
• 8 September 2003 — Deadline for Council to give public notice of proposed representation arrangements.