The city’s single transferable vote voting system increases the number of female councillors, boosts competition, and provides a guarantee the mayor elected has a majority mandate to govern, a Dunedin academic says. Dunedin city councillors will today vote on whether to change from the single transferable vote (STV) system, used since 2004, to a first past the post (FPP) system; stick with STV; or hold a poll seeking the public’s input. Janine Hayward, of the University of Otago department of politics, is researching the difference the STV system makes for local elections. In some elections, a STV system could boost women’s representation by up to 10%, she said. Mr Barron, a former member of the Southern District Health Board, which uses the STV system, said he hoped the matter was not taken to a poll.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 27, 2020 15:22 UTC