New Zealand 2017: Maps

[Filuwaúrdjan]

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It isn't as if Canadian and Australian voting patterns have much in common?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Why is it that the west coast of the South Island is represented by a Labour MP, when the rest of the island (with the exception of urban areas like Christchurch) is dominated by the National Party?

Enough small industrial towns with long Labour heritages, basically. Particularly important (electorally) is the coalfield around the Grey and Buller rivers; Westport especially is very Labour.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I may be imaging things here, but is that east-west divide on the North Islands usually a "thing"?

Yes

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The countryside on the western side of the island is ridiculously fertile; this is one of the main centres of dairy farming in New Zealand and is pretty prosperous. Wairarapa is sheep farming and various dull provincial towns that have not done well out of the New New Zealand at all.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Winston Peters is a North Island politician and the political traditional that NZFirst really belongs to - that of the quirky populist centre - has generally been strongest in the rural parts of North Island.

But the Maori vote in their own constituencies so they shouldn't affect the "main" constituencies right?

They can chose to register on either roll. About 40% of Māori voters are on the general electoral roll; this is one big reason why the electorate of East Coast has a good Labour vote.