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Local Electoral Act 2001

Representation arrangements for elections of territorial authorities, regional councils, local boards, and community boards

19V: Requirement for fair representation and other factors in determination of membership for wards, constituencies, and subdivisions

You could also call this:

"Ensuring Fair Representation in Local Elections"

Illustration for Local Electoral Act 2001

When you elect members for a ward or constituency, the number of members must be fair for the people living there. You get fair representation when the number of people in each area is similar to the number of members elected. The population of each area is divided by the number of members to check if it is fair. If the area is an island community or isolated, the rules can be different to ensure you have a say. You can also have different rules if an area has many communities with different interests. In these cases, the territorial authority or regional council must tell the Commission about their decision, including the information in section 19Q(a) to (e). The Commission then decides if the decision is fair or not, using section 19R(1). They can either agree with the decision or change it, and they follow the rules in sections 19R, 19S, and 19Y.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM93905.

Topics:
Government and voting > Local councilsGovernment and voting > Elections
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19U: Requirement for effective representation and other factors in determination of membership and basis of election of regional council, or

"How to Elect People to a Regional Council Fairly"

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19W: Factors in determination of matters in relation to community boards, or

"What to consider when making decisions about community boards"

Part 1ARepresentation arrangements for elections of territorial authorities, regional councils, local boards, and community boards

19VRequirement for fair representation and other factors in determination of membership for wards, constituencies, and subdivisions

  1. In determining the number of members to be elected by the electors of any ward or constituency or subdivision, the territorial authority or regional council and, where appropriate, the Commission must ensure that the electors of the ward or constituency or subdivision receive fair representation, having regard to the population of every district or region or local board area or community and every ward or constituency or subdivision within the district or region or local board area or community.

  2. For the purposes of giving effect to subsection (1), the territorial authority or regional council and, where appropriate, the Commission must ensure that the population of each ward or constituency or subdivision, divided by the number of members to be elected by that ward or constituency or subdivision, produces a figure no more than 10% greater or smaller than the population of the district or region or local board area or community divided by the total number of elected members (other than members elected by the electors of a territorial authority as a whole, if any, and the mayor, if any).

  3. Despite subsection (2),—

  4. if the territorial authority or the Commission considers that 1 or more of the following apply, wards and subdivisions of a local board area or a community may be defined and membership distributed between them in a way that does not comply with subsection (2):
    1. non-compliance with subsection (2) is required for effective representation of communities of interest within island communities or isolated communities situated within the district of the territorial authority; or
      1. compliance with subsection (2) would limit effective representation of communities of interest by dividing a community of interest between wards or subdivisions; or
        1. compliance with subsection (2) would limit effective representation of communities of interest by uniting within a ward or subdivision 2 or more communities of interest with few commonalities of interest:
        2. if the regional council or the Commission considers that effective representation of communities of interest so requires, constituencies may be defined and membership distributed between them in a way that does not comply with subsection (2).

          1. A territorial authority or regional council that decides under subsection (3) not to comply with subsection (2) must refer that decision to the Commission together with the information specified in section 19Q(a) to (e).

          2. A reference under subsection (4) must be treated as if it were an appeal against the decision of the territorial authority or regional council, for the purposes of sections 19R (other than subsection (1)(b)), 19S, and 19Y, which apply with any necessary modifications.

          3. On receiving a reference under subsection (4), the Commission must determine, under section 19R(1), whether—

          4. to uphold the decision of the territorial authority or regional council; or
            1. to alter that decision.

              Compare
              Notes
              • Section 19V: inserted, on , by section 6 of the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 85).
              • Section 19V(1): amended, on , by section 76 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 55).
              • Section 19V(2): amended, on , by section 76 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 55).
              • Section 19V(2): amended, on , by section 7 of the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 62).
              • Section 19V(3)(a): replaced, on , by section 13(1) of the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 40).
              • Section 19V(3)(a): amended, on , by section 76 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 55).
              • Section 19V(4): amended, on , by section 13(2) of the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 40).
              • Section 19V(4): amended, on , by section 13(3) of the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 40).
              • Section 19V(5): amended, on , by section 13(3) of the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 40).
              • Section 19V(6)(a): amended, on , by section 13(3) of the Local Electoral Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 40).