New Zealand Election Study

Abstract

Through the analysis of political behaviour over eight successive New Zealand elections, this site monitors the democratic process in New Zealand during a period of social and economic change and, most particularly, during the transition between electoral systems: the first past the post (FPP) or plurality electoral system in effect in New Zealand from the origins of the political system, and the new Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system which is in effect from the 1996 election. The NZES began in its present form in 1990, continued in 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008 and its most recent study includes the 2011 general election. The NZES's main source of data are questionnaires which are posted to randomly selected registered electors across the country immediately following each election. Questions focus on voting choices, political opinions, and social and demographic characteristics. Data from the NZES programme are available for secondary analysis. Data can be downloaded directly from this website free of charge. Click here for instructions. These data are also deposited at the Australian Social Science Data Archives at the Australian National University, Canberra and with the University of Auckland’s New Zealand Social Science Data Service (NZSSDS).