Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) is how New Zealand’s Government is elected every three years. It is a two-tier voting system.
It’s really quite simple, you get 2 votes. 1 for your electorate and 1 for your party.
Electorate vote: this vote is for who you want to represent your local area in parliament. The individual is affiliated with a party. Whichever candidate gets the most votes gets a seat in parliament.
Party vote: This vote is for the party you want to represent you in parliament. A party must get a minimum of 5% of the party vote to qualify for seats in parliament.
If a party gets an electorate seat then they aren’t required to reach the 5% threshold. Instead they qualify for seats based on the percentage they get + the electorates they win. For example, if the Apple party gets an electorate seat in Wellington CBD and then receives 2% of the party vote they will receive 3 seats in total (1 electorate seat and 2 list MP’s).
If a party doesn’t get in to parliament then their party votes are added to a discarded pool. These votes are then spread evenly across the parties that did get in to parliament. For example, if the Banana party receives 3% of the party vote and no electorates then these votes are discarded. The Apple (41%), Pear (39%) and Potato (17%) parties whom all got into parliament will receive an additional 1% (3 percent of vote divided by 3 parties) towards their party vote.
Check out the Electoral Commissions page on it or check out the videos below.
Check out the electoral commission’s short video on MMP:
Check out the crash course on how government works in New Zealand.