If I had a dollar for everyone who has asked me to explain STV (Single Transferable Vote) to them, I would be a wealthy woman. This year, Whangārei District Council has ditched FPP (First Past the Post) in favour of using STV (believed to deliver fairer representation) to elect local body politicians for the first time. Whilst STV is not particularly difficult to understand, just the mere fact that it is a new system will...
Read More
An idea born in Ancient Greece, the word “democracy” originates from the Greek words “demos” meaning “people and “kratos” meaning “power” or “rule”. The word “democracy” literally translates to “rule by the people” or “power of the people”. Over time, the concept of democracy has come to mean government where the people hold the power to govern, either directly or through elected representatives. According to Freedom House, an organisation that monitors democracy around the world,...
Read More