New Zealand 2017: Maps

[Filuwaúrdjan]

[DC Al Fine]

Does New Zealand have any unusual voting patterns that would differ from say, Canada or Australia?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

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

[DC Al Fine]

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

Um...

I guess I'm asking, is what is unusual about NZ voting patterns compared to the rest of the western world. Countries all have their own little quirks.

[parochial boy]

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

I can undesrtand why the left would do well in BoP/Gisborne/Hawke's Bay, bu why would Wairarapa be voting to the left of Taranaki and Waikato?

[Pericles]

Here is an interactive mapping the results in every voting booth in NZ. It also shows the swings from 2014.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/27-09-2017/interactive-mapping-every-booths-votes-from-the-2017-general-election/

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Here is an interactive mapping the results in every voting booth in NZ. It also shows the swings from 2014.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/27-09-2017/interactive-mapping-every-booths-votes-from-the-2017-general-election/

I like how the Labour vote nearly quadrupled on Stewart Island from 2014.

EDIT: Same on the Chatham Islands #actually.

[mileslunn]

I think he means like urban vs. rural and by and large New Zealand does follow that as rural areas do tend to favour National while Labour tends to dominate most urban areas although Auckland seems split evenly with National dominating the north side (I presume this is the more affluent area) and Labour dominating the south side (I presume this is more working class).

[Frodo]

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?   Is the Maori population largely clustered there, or is there another explanation?  

[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.

[Tintrlvr]

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?   Is the Maori population largely clustered there, or is there another explanation?  

Al gave an explanation of the phenomenon (though I'd add ecotourism to the causes of the left-wing orientation on the west coast of the South Island), but, for the record, the vast majority of Maori live on the North Island.

[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.

[Zanas]

NZ First seems to be mostly a North Island party. Is it because the Maori are predominantly there, or other reasons ?

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

NZ First seems to be mostly a North Island party. Is it because the Maori are predominantly there, or other reasons ?

Large numbers of immigrants go to Auckland compared to the rest of the country. There is probably some Māori link though. NZ First does have a decent Māori following. Not sure if those are all the reasons, but they definitely contribute, I'd say.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

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

[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.

[parochial boy]

It strikes me the Coromandel is surprisingly right wing given the hippie/arty reputation. They must actually make up a pretty small proportion of the overall population