Describe the electoral system in New Zealand.

The electoral system in New Zealand is based on a mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation. This system was introduced in 1996 and replaced the previous first-past-the-post (FPP) system.

Under the MMP system, voters have two votes: one for a political party and one for a local candidate in their electorate. The country is divided into 72 electorates, each represented by a Member of Parliament (MP). The candidate who receives the most votes in each electorate becomes the local MP.

The party vote is used to determine the overall proportion of seats each political party receives in the Parliament. There are 120 seats in the New Zealand Parliament, and the number of seats a party receives is proportional to the percentage of the party vote it receives nationwide. This ensures that the overall composition of the Parliament reflects the proportion of votes each party receives.

To ensure that smaller parties are represented in the Parliament, a party must either win at least 5% of the party vote or win an electorate seat. If a party wins more electorate seats than its proportion of the party vote would entitle it to, these seats are called "overhang" seats, and the Parliament is increased in size to accommodate them.

The MMP system also allows for the inclusion of list MPs. Each party prepares a list of candidates, ranked in order of preference. If a party wins more electorate seats than its proportion of the party vote would entitle it to, it is allocated additional list seats to balance its overall representation. List MPs are selected from the party's list in the order of their ranking.

Overall, the MMP system in New Zealand aims to provide a fair and proportional representation of voters' preferences in the Parliament, ensuring that both major and minor parties have the opportunity to be represented.