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The Electoral Commission has announced commendations to two academics to acknowledge significant contributions to the promotion of public understanding and analysis of New Zealand electoral matters.

Judges wished to thank the scholars who submitted research and expressed some concern and frustration at the relative paucity of primary research into New Zealand's electoral system over the last 18 months. Judges further noted that both pieces that are to receive an award fill a void and that this is an indication of how much primary research on core aspects of New Zealand politics is not currently being done. 

Highly Commended

Raymond Miller, University of Auckland

Party Politics in New Zealand(2005), Melbourne: OxfordUniversity Press

 This text addresses a remarkable dearth of published research about the party system in New Zealand. The writing is accessible for lay readers and undergraduates. Understanding of some of the key players in the electoral process will be aided by the publication of this text book. Party activists and strategists in particular, will be interested in some of the observations by the author . This text will also be of use of emerging researches in that it traces the evolution of parties in New Zealand  an historical context. The judges appreciated the continuity and inter-connectedness that comes from a sole-authored book  which enabled the author to describe twin themes of rapid party evolution under PR and changes in the internal structure of the parties- including membership, campaign strategies, leadership selection and funding.

Commended  

Richard Shaw, MasseyUniversity

Electoral Law Reform and the Work of the New Zealand Parliamentin Australasian Parliamentary Review, spring 2004, vol 19, pp18-31

The article was  engaging and very easy to read . It fills a void in the literature on  legislative processes  under MMP. The piece will contribute to public understanding as it is accessible to lay readers and addresses one of the key areas of interest in relation to the change in the electoral system  and  its impact on parliamentary practice. The article usefully documents the two  seemingly contradictory trends of   invigorated  legislative scrutiny and  the sustained power  of the  executive. Reliance upon existing data limited the analysis that could be done and the judges hope that further research and work on this subject will be carried out  by the author and others .

Judging Criteria

Recognise significant contributions to the promotion of public understanding and analysis of New Zealand electoral matters, broadly understood to include the mechanics of MMP, voting behaviour, electoral law, and constitutional practice relating to elections and efforts to promote public participation in and understanding of electoral matters. Comparative studies are not excluded provided the primary focus is on New Zealand.

Judges should consider the following:

1. Is it clearly written, well presented and easy to follow the arguments?
2. Is the methodology and theoretical framework appropriate and well applied?
3. Is it primarily about electoral matters?
4. Does it
   1. Promote public understanding (directly or indirectly)?
   2. Provide clear analysis?
5. To what extent does the work further our understanding?

The panel will discuss each entry in turn, using the criteria.  We will not use numbers or scores.

Judging Panel Dr Bronwyn Hayward, Politics, University of Canterbury and  Helena Catt, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission

Judges  wished to thank the scholars who submitted research and expressed some concern and frustration at the relative paucity of  primary research into New Zealand's electoral system over the last 18 months.Judges further noted that both pieces that are to receive an award fill a void and that this is an indication of how much primary research on core aspects of New Zealand politics is not currently being done. 

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[530 Call for entries]