Marc Wilson: A polling truth

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Marc Wilson: A polling truth

We led the way in giving everyone the vote, so why don’t more of us turn out on election day?

By Marc Wilson In Psychology

There’s something rotten in New Zealand. Perhaps that’s a bit melodramatic, but if you were in Parliament’s old Legislative Council Chamber on May 29, you would have had reason for at least slight concern about the health of our democracy.

Specifically, the proportion of eligible citizens who exercise their right to vote in general elections is steadily declining. In the 2011 election, turnout was less than three-quarters of those eligible, almost 15% lower than the 88% of 15 years before.

Although it was a record low turnout in the first country to introduce universal suffrage, ...

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