Double-election week
Posted 6 November 2008 // Helen Rickerby
Orange sign? Must be election day
It’s an exciting week in New Zealand – at least for election junkies. Not only do we have our own general election on Saturday, but we’ve been able to watch the US election as well.
I certainly enjoy a good election, and will be hosting my fourth triennial election party, where my friends and I will hang out, channel surf between the election coverage on TV One, TV3 and Māori Television, and voice our opinions about the proceedings.
Te Ara will be covering elections and New Zealand’s parliamentary system in more detail in our upcoming Nation theme, but in the meantime you can find an introduction to our system of government and electoral system in our Government and nation entry.
You can also find some election-related treasures among our images and media, such as the famous 1975 advertisement warning against immigration, Michael Joseph Savage’s victory speech after the 1935 election – the Labour Party’s first time in government, and Sidney Holland’s victory speech after the 1949 election (accompanied by an image of the cover of the National Party’s campaign booklet). And you can see how the citizens of Palmerston North found out about the results of the 1935 election, back in the days before television.
On NZHistory.net you’ll find an Election days feature, which outlines New Zealand’s electoral system and includes stories from the first election, in 1853, to more recent polling days. You can even view the famous – or infamous – ‘Dancing Cossacks‘ television advertisement from 1975, and what is probably the earliest film clip of a New Zealand politician on the hustings in 1911. Other relevant features on NZHistory.net include Women and the vote, Māori and the vote, and The road to MMP.
It’s likely to be another 12 years before the New Zealand and United States elections are both in the same year, so enjoy the political buzz while it lasts.
Looking forward to the election on Saturday. I’m definitely voting for Obama.