Most are blaming the polls, which seemed to suggest a foregone conclusion, putting people off voting. Whatever the reason, it is tragic that one out of five NZers opted out of voting, especially when one considers the long stormy history of the right to vote in New Zealand.
New Zealand’s election history began in 1853 when only British male subjects over 21, who personally owned, leased or rented substantial property, could vote. Women and immigrants were barred. Maori men as British subjects under the Treaty were theoretically permitted to vote, but most were excluded because land was owned communally rather than under individual title. Voting was then a privilege for a few wealthy British men, rather than a right for all regardless of race, gender, wealth and status.
In 1860, after vigorous debate, voting was extended to gold miners. The four Maori seats were established in 1867 and Maori men over 21 were entitled to vote in these seats. In 1879, after more debate, the vote was granted to all European men regardless of property ownership, i.e. ‘one man, one vote.’ Then, after a long and dramatic struggle led by the Christian Women’s Temperance Union under the leadership of Kate Sheppherd, the right to vote was granted to women for the first time in the world. Other changes included allowing military personnel to vote regardless of age in the World Wars, the dropping of the age of voting to 20 in 1969 and 18 in 1974, and allowing all permanent residents to vote after 1975.
This overview demonstrates that the right of all NZers over 18 to vote is the result of much effort and debate, often from Christians. So, while it is true that there are plenty of reasons to be disillusioned and three million is of little consequence, we all have to remind ourselves that voting is an immense privilege. It is our chance to have our say. We should honour those who fought for universal suffrage, like our sister Kate Sheppherd, and cast our vote every opportunity we are given.
From a Christian point of view, universal suffrage is a glorious example of the egalitarianism of the gospel, in which there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free (Gal 3:28). It is our opportunity, after prayer and thought, to influence who will lead the nation on God’s behalf (Rom 13:1–5). It is our opportunity to exercise our human imperative to have dominion over God’s world on his behalf (Gen 1:28). So, next time, let’s make sure we make the most of the opportunity as we always should. Go deeper!
By Mark Keown , lecturer in New Testament at Laidlaw College,
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