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# I’m List-voting ACT: There Are 3.5 Reasons Why *UPDATED
- URL: https://goodoil.news/im-list-voting-act-there-are-3-5-reasons-why/
- Published: 2020-02-02T21:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2020-02-03T22:26:47.000Z
- Author: idbkiwi
- Tags: Featured, NZ, NZ Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-07-17 03:24

**Editor’s note*: additional information is provided at the end of the article.*

---

Unless something drastic happens and ACT implodes, they are getting my list-vote. I urge you do so too, if we want a conservative coalition in charge of this country. It’s simple:

- Mr Seymour has worked hard in Parliament, has not backed away from taking positions unpopular amongst the press fifth-brigade, and has a sense of humour.
- ACT has taken a libertarian stance on issues important to me and had the courage to convey those against the emotionally driven totalitarianism of our current socialist masters.
- **Every list-vote ACT is worth more than 3.5x that of a National vote.**

Due to the Mickey Mouse Proportional representation system, we have imposed on ourselves, the popular parties are at an extreme disadvantage with regard to list-member representation. Despite overwhelming numbers, National was reined in by the unfairness of this system. They clearly won the most list votes in 2017 with 1,152,075 (44.45%) of those cast, only to be rewarded with just 15 seats (25%) of the list’s 60 seats available.

Put another way: every National list seat cost 76,805 ballot papers, each successful Labour candidate required just 38,599 while the dog-wagging tails called Green and NZ First required a paltry 20,305 and 20,785 respectively.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/31/f4/31f4e20a-0315-499e-83ff-139e8eab53bf/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/the_bfd-picture1.png)

The BFD.

It’s statistically as clear as it is unfair: **each minor-party list vote has more than 3.5 times the power of the dominant party vote.** Should ACT retain their electorate seat and current 0.5% list-voters and gain just 10% of National list-voters ACT’s Mr Seymour would walk into parliament with six colleagues in tow. National would lose just two from their list, giving an ACT/Nat coalition 61 seats. If fifteen percent of traditionally National-aligned ballots went the ACT way it will be a clear majority. Praise be.

ACT will straighten National out on several important issues, I have no doubt about that, although I did harbour some concerns previous to Mr Seymour’s display this term. I thought we were watching a party in its death throes but Mr Seymour has brought it back and deserves our support. ACT will be more than a ginger-group, **they will hold real power** and not be afraid to negotiate or insist.

If we want a conservative coalition this is a more than 3.5:1 no-brainer. Vote: ACT.

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Mea Culpa

A reader has, thankfully, and correctly, pointed out the logical fallacy apparent in my post as it stands.

I made a **major error** **by omission** in the post of my calculation regarding the factor of the influence of party vote allocation in the coming election, due to stupid wishful thinking.

My calculation for list-seat allocation was based on **NZ First falling below the 5% threshold**, therefore eliminating them from the calculations at ‘**Step 2**’ of the **[Sainte-Laguë Formula](https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults%5F2017/statistics/sainte-lague-formula.html?ref=goodoil.news)** used to allocate our list-vote seats which looked like this after the last election:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/31/f4/31f4e20a-0315-499e-83ff-139e8eab53bf/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/the_bfd.png)

The BFD.

I have no explanation for omitting my hopeful, spurious, cheeky, debatable speculation of eliminating NZ First from the equation and post both, except that I dearly wish it so, but without which important clarification the post is, as quite rightly pointed out, a logical fallacy.

I do believe NZ First will fall below the threshold, I will party-vote ACT and urge all to do the same, and look forward to a conservative coalition in charge post-September, 2020.

Plus; the dog ate my homework.

*If you enjoyed this BFD article please consider sharing it with your friends.*