Poll shows support to keep MMP and make it better

A poll out today shows New Zealanders are in no mood to change their voting system.

The UMR poll, commissioned by Keep MMP, shows 63 per cent of those surveyed want MMP retained in some form.

An independent review to consider changes to MMP is guaranteed if a majority vote to keep the current system in the referendum on election day.

However, if New Zealanders vote for change, there will be another referendum in 2014 which will almost certainly pit MMP against First Past the Post, the only other voting system with any real support.

Keep MMP spokesperson Sandra Grey says the choice at this year’s referendum is clear.

“We can vote to keep MMP and improve it, or we will be asking ourselves in three years time whether we want to go back to First Past the Post,” Sandra Grey said.

“FPP has already been rejected by New Zealanders as an unfair system, and this poll shows that view has not changed. It’s important that both supporters of MMP, and people who want MMP with some changes, vote to keep MMP.”

“MMP is the fairest system, where everyone's votes count no matter where they live.”

“Sandra Grey says going back to FPP would mean bringing back a system in which hundreds of thousands of votes count for nothing, like the votes of a National Party supporter in a safe Labour area, Labour supporters in National areas, and supporters of smaller parties.”

The poll shows 25 per cent support for keeping MMP, 38 per cent support for keeping MMP with some changes, with 10 per cent unsure. Only 27 per cent want to change to another system.

When asked how they would vote between MMP and FPP, 55 per cent support keeping MMP with 35 per cent favouring a return to FPP.

The poll was a nationally representative survey of 750 people and was conducted between 27th to 31st October 2011.

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