The Green Party is calling for an investigation into why voter turnout was so
low on election day.
Just 73 percent of people on the electoral roll, or 68 percent of eligible
voters, cast a vote in Saturday's general election.
That was down from 79 percent of enrolled voters in 2008.
Green MP Gareth Hughes is disappointed by the falling turnout.
"Voting is one of the core ways for the public to participate in the civic
process," he said.
"The act of voting, and the feeling of participation it brings, is vital for
the health of democracy in our country."
Parliament's justice and electoral select committee holds a post-election
inquiry after each election, and Mr Hughes has written to the leaders of each
political party asking for their support to expand its terms of reference.
He wants it to investigate the reasons for low voter turnout, and what
parliament can do to address it.
"Given the deeply worrying trend of low voter turnout we need to go further
than just an administrative review of the election that hears submissions from a
handful of officials," Mr Hughes says.
"We need to give the chance for experts, academics and the general public to
get involved and put forward ideas for turning around our low levels of voter
participation."
Mr Hughes wants the committee to look at changes to the electoral process,
including full online enrolment and better civics education in schools, to help
boost turnout.
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