How Should We Vote In The Next Election: What About 16-Year-Olds?

Single transferable vote (STV) or First Past the Post (FPP)?  The Invercargill public will soon get to decide how they want to vote at the next elections in 2025. Take our poll/survey http://bit.ly/3TVDSHv

But the Invercargill City Council will be consulting on this pretty swiftly as they have to make a decision by September this year.

ICC Manager of Governance and Legal Michael Morris told the council yesterday that they could also run a poll through the electoral officer, but it would come at a cost.

He also talked about the implications locally if the new Government decided to lower the voting age to 16, which would cause issues with the Invercargill Licensing Trust (ILT) election, as people had to be 18 to drink or purchase alcohol.

Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern drafted legislation to lower the voting age, but it was not supported by National and Act and needed 75% support to get through.

New Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is not intending on bringing it back to the House, as he said it was “doomed to fail,” however, that could easily change.

Michael made a point about whether 16 year olds could vote, could they then also stand for council, and would there be repercussions if they missed school?

The discussion then moved onto the different voting processes, with councillors debating the pro’s and cons of both STV and FPP.

Cr Alex Crackett said FPP was “like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas,” and said it leads to the loss of votes and a popularity contest.

“STV is the fairest way for vote distribution and it’s more ethical,” she said.

Everybody agreed the public should decide, but Cr Darren Ludlow believed they should take it one step further and go to the expense of commissioning a poll.

“Let’s be honest.  They are both popularity contests.”

Cr Ian Pottinger said, back on the topic of the voting age, that you have to be 18 to fight for your country, “I just hope the people in Wellington have a bit more commonsense and realise, and maybe they think the 16 year olds are the only ones going to vote for them?”

He also backed Ludlow on holding a poll, but the motion just concentrated on the public consultation process with the electoral system.

Take our poll/survey http://bit.ly/3TVDSHv