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Local Electoral Act 2001

Preliminary provisions

5A: General description of First Past the Post electoral system

You could also call this:

"How the First Past the Post electoral system works"

Illustration for Local Electoral Act 2001

You are learning about the First Past the Post electoral system. When you vote, you can cast as many votes as there are positions to be filled. The person with the most votes gets the job if only one position is available. You can also vote when more than one position is available. The people with the most votes get the jobs, and the number of people elected is the same as the number of positions available. This system also applies when you are voting on a particular matter, like a poll. The rules for a poll are similar to the rules for voting for people, but you are voting on a matter instead.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM93433.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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Part 1Preliminary provisions

5AGeneral description of First Past the Post electoral system

  1. For local electoral purposes, the First Past the Post electoral system,—

  2. in the case of an election, has the following features:
    1. voters may cast as many votes as there are positions to be filled:
      1. where a single position is to be filled, the candidate who receives the highest number of votes is elected:
        1. where more than 1 position is to be filled, the candidates equal to the number of positions who receive the highest number of votes are elected:
        2. in the case of a poll, has the features specified in paragraph (a) as if, with all necessary modifications, every reference to a candidate were a reference to the matter or matters that are the subject of the poll.

          Notes
          • Section 5A: inserted, on , by section 4 of the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 62).