【天维网综合报道 记者 Jacky Su】提到2023大选，你会想到什么？

是纠结投工党，还是国家党，亦或是其他党派；是关注所在选区的候选人，并希望改善社区居住环境，还是更关注国家议题；亦或是对选举流程并不熟悉，相关中文信息不知如何获取......

离大选还有半年多，天维网收到了不少读者就大选发来的问询。

有读者更是直言，大选针对华社的新闻和宣传太少：“虽然我们有投票权，新西兰也有5%左右的华裔，但中文信息看到的并不多，主流媒体渠道见到的宣传也很少。”

带着这些问题，天维网记者独家采访的新西兰选举委员会，关于针对少数族裔的宣传和预算，天维网都拿到了一手数据。

点击查看此前天维网专题报道

缺乏华裔选民具体数据

选举委员会官网数据显示，上一次的新西兰2020年大选，选民投票率空前高涨，有近82%的合格选民投了票。

图片来自选举委员会官网

然而，选举委员会告诉天维网，由于选举期间其未收集种族数据，泛亚裔移民（包括印度裔和华裔社区）的选民投票率仍不清楚。

根据选举委员会的数据，2020年大选的投票率统计数据按年龄、毛利裔和非毛利裔进行细分。该委员会还提供了选民投票率的数据，但没有按地区或城市进行细分。

尽管缺乏关于泛亚选民的具体数据，但选举委员会称其为促进参与选举进程做出了“重大努力”。 

具体而言，其利用公共信息广告以鼓励登记和投票，通过常设的社区参与团队（permanent community engagement workforce）在全国各地通过活动、演讲和参与本地社区活动（包括华社）的方式，提升选举的参与程度。

此外，选举委员会还在电视、广播、印刷品和网络上以多种语言发布了广告。

有关登记和投票的海报和小册子，被翻译成27种不同的语言，包括阿拉伯语、缅甸语、繁体中文、简体中文、古吉拉特语、印地语、日语、高棉语、韩语、马来语、他加禄语、泰米尔语、泰语和越南语等。

选举委员会表示，为了与亚裔社区互动，委员会的社区互动团队参加多项活动，还与新西兰多元文化组织、新西兰移民局、奥克兰地区移民服务信托基金和中国新定居者服务信托基金等组织建立了成功的社区合作伙伴关系，覆盖了奥克兰的亚裔、印度裔以及新移民和难民社区。

选举委员会介绍，其通过招募多元化的工作人员，以匹配投票点的社区需求。

选举委员会3%员工为华裔

数据显示，2020年，选举委员会的员工中有3%是华裔，4%是印度裔。

选举委员会告诉天维网，其为2020年大选制定的初始广告预算为690万纽币。这一预算和2014年的610万纽币及2017年的635万纽币类似。

不过，由于2020年的特殊性，最终广告预算有所增加，分别的投放金额为：公投（260万）、疫情举措（350万）以及选举日变化相关广告（150万）。

在2020年大选中，选举委员会在11个不同的少数族裔群体中投放了逛，包括华裔电视、印度裔电视，同时也投放了不同语言的宣传单张和手册。

然而，选举委员会表示，尚不清楚该资金中具体有多少用于促进亚裔社区的选举（参与）。

据悉，选举委员会目前正在筹划2023年大选，其预计会使用类似的参与方法和公共信息活动来鼓励登记和投票。

“每个合格的选民都需要行使其民主投票权，才能真正在国会中发声。”

“虽然没有关于2020年大选期间泛亚选民投票率的具体数据，但选举委员会为促进选举过程的参与做出了重大努力，确保每一位合格选民都能获得参与新西兰民主进程所需的信息和资源。”

Lack of Data on Ethnic Voter Turnout and Budget Allocation in New Zealand Remains a 'Mystery'

Will you vote in the 2023 General Election? The Electoral Commission has confirmed the timetable for the 2023 General Election following the Prime Minister's announcement of the election date. However, the Commission admits that it is hard to appreciate how much Asian vote and the government's advertising budget in the Asian community as well, as those data were 'lacking' for the past general election.

"We don’t collect data on ethnicity so a break-down of turnout by ethnicity is not available, " said the Electoral Commission.

New Zealand's general election in 2020 saw an unprecedented voter turnout, with nearly 82% of eligible voters casting their votes. However, the voter turnout amongst ethnic migrants of Pan-Asian origin, including Indian and Chinese communities, remains unclear as ethnicity data is not collected during elections.

According to the Electoral Commission, turnout statistics for the 2020 General Election were broken down by age and Māori and non-Māori descent. The commission also provided data to Skykiwi on voter turnout by the electorate but could not break it down by region or city.

Despite the lack of specific data on Pan-Asian voters, the Electoral Commission made efforts to promote participation in the election process. The commission mentioned that they had run public information advertising to encourage enrolling and voting, community outreach throughout the country, and advertising in a range of languages on television, radio, print, and online.

The commission said they also provided resources, including posters and brochures on enrolling and voting, translated into 27 different languages, including Arabic, Burmese, traditional and simplified Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Malay, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, and Vietnamese.

“For the 2020 General Election, we had advertising across 11 ethnic community print titles, advertisements on Chinese and Indian TV networks, and posters and brochures available in different languages in public places including community centres, fitness, and sports centres.”

The commission was unable to provide a breakdown because advertising is prepared in packages across a range of media, including ethnic and mainstream media outlets.

Data from the commission shows that in 2020, 3% of its staff identified as Chinese and 4% Indian. The commission also has a permanent community engagement workforce that attends events, gives presentations, and engages with communities, including Asian communities, on a regular basis to help them have trust and confidence in participating in the electoral system.

“We also had successful community partnerships with organisations such as Multicultural New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand, Auckland Regional Migrant Services Trust, and the Chinese New Settlers Services Trust reaching Asian, Indian, and new migrant and refugee communities in Auckland.”

The Electoral Commission disclosed its initial budget for advertising for the 2020 General Election was $6.9 million. The commission told Skykiwi that they received additional funding for advertising for the referendums, and COVID-19 measures, and to extend advertising after the change in election date. However, it is unclear how much of that fund was dedicated to promoting elections in Asian communities.

As the Electoral Commission is currently planning for General Election 2023, it anticipates using similar methods of engagement and a public information campaign to encourage enrolling and voting.

"It is important every eligible voter exercises their democratic right to vote so they are represented in Parliament."

Skykiwi understands that before an election, the Electoral Commission undertakes a public information campaign about how, when, and where to enroll and vote.

"It matters very much to reach all New Zealanders."

"We are actively engaging with wider ethnic networks, non-governmental organisations and other organisations to explain the election process and promote voting among ethnic communities," said the Electoral Commission.

While specific data on Pan-Asian voters' turnout during the general election 2020 is still a mystery, the Electoral Commission "worked hard" to promote participation in the election process, including recruiting Asian staff, and targeting Asian communities with specific resources and outreach programs.