By Xinhua,
Wellington : A major enrollment drive for this year’s general election in New Zealand kicked off on Monday — at a time when research shows many people don’t even know its election year.
The Electoral Enrollment Center has started the countdown to the Parliamentary election by posting enrollment update packs to everyone who is currently enrolled to check that their details are right.
“Our enrollment drive is a key step to getting New Zealanders ready for the election. But we are doing it at a time when research tells us there are low levels of awareness that it is election year amongst Pacific, Maori, Asian and young people,” said Murray Wicks, national manager of Electoral Enrollment Center, on Monday.
A Research New Zealand study prepared for the Electoral Enrollment Center showed over half of Pacific and young people, and just under half of Maori and Asian people don’t know its election year.
Fifty-five percent of Pacific people, 53 percent of young people, 45 percent of Asian people and 41 percent of Maori don’t know its election year.
“We need to get as many people as possible ready for the election by ensuring they are correctly enrolled to vote,” said Wicks. “Not knowing it is election year is a hurdle for us and our enrollment drive.”
Currently an estimated 237,000 people are not enrolled. A total of 2.862 million people, or 92.35 percent of the estimated eligible population, are enrolled.