2018 Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand female co-leadership election

The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand female co-leadership election, 2018 is an election that took place between 26 March and 7 April 2018 to determine the future leadership of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.

2018 Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand female co-leadership election
8 April 2018
 
Candidate Marama Davidson Julie Anne Genter
Popular vote 110 34
Percentage 76.38 23.62
Co-leader before election

Metiria Turei

 Co-leader after election

Marama Davidson

Background

On 9 August 2017, Metiria Turei announced she had stood down as co-leader of the Green Party following media scrutiny of her public admission to committing benefit fraud in the early 1990s, stating that the "scrutiny on [her] family has become unbearable."[1] This triggered an election to fill the now vacant female co-leadership, which the party had previously stated would be conducted at the 2018 party annual general meeting.[2] It had been possible that a Special General Meeting or postal ballot may have been used to elect a new co-leader earlier.[3]

On 26 January 2018, James Shaw announced the election timeline to determine the next female co-leader, with the ballots to be counted and a winner to be announced on 8 April 2018.[4] Following the election, Marama Davidson was elected the new female co-leader of the Green Party.[5]

Key dates
Logo used for the contest
  • Friday 2 February – Nominations open
  • Friday 9 February – Nominations close
  • Monday 12 February – Full list of nominations announced
  • Saturday 3 March – Co-leader candidate session held at Green Party policy conference in Napier
  • Sunday 25 March – Zoom conference to be held between candidates and delegates.
  • Monday 26 March – End of official campaigning, balloting opens
  • Saturday 7 April – Balloting closes
  • Sunday 8 April – Ballots counted and winner announced

Candidates

Declared candidates

The following individuals announced their candidacy:

Name Position Notes

Marama Davidson		 List MP since 2015 Davidson held a Facebook event on 4 February for an "announcement", but would not tell the press what the topic would be. Media had hypothesized the event as being a candidacy declaration.[7] On the same day, Davidson announced her candidacy for co-leader.[8]

Julie Anne Genter		 List MP since 2011 Genter had been described as one of the top contenders to take over as co-leader, but hadn't yet commented on any leadership aspirations.[10] Following Turei's resignation, Genter said she was still to make a decision on her candidacy, but might do so when dates were finalised.[3] She announced her candidacy on 8 February.[11]

Declined

The following individuals were speculated as being possible leadership candidates, but ruled out a bid:

Golriz Ghahraman

Ghahraman, elected as a List MP in 2017 (following special votes being cast) said to media she was "not at all" interested in the position of co-leader.[12]

Jan Logie

A List MP since 2011 and Under-Secretary for Justice since 2017, Jan Logie did not respond to media requests for comment regarding the co-leadership.[3] The press speculated that after Davidson announced her candidacy Logie ruled out running herself.[7]

Deborah Morris-Travers

Former Green Party Chief of Staff Deborah Morris-Travers, who was replaced following Turei's admission to benefit fraud due to her involvement,[13] ruled out a bid for the co-leadership herself.[8]

Denise Roche

Former Green List MP (2011–17) and Auckland City Councillor (2007–10) Denise Roche ruled herself out of standing.[8]

Eugenie Sage

Sage, a List MP since 2011 and since 2017 Minister of Conservation and Minister for Land Information as well as a member of the Green Party's negotiation team with Labour, said she had not yet made any decision; "I'm still getting my feet under the table as a minister."[3] There had been widespread speculation that Sage would put her hand up as a "compromise candidate". Ultimately, she ruled out standing citing a desire to focus on her ministerial duties instead.[14]

Chlöe Swarbrick

Elected as a List MP in 2017, Chlöe Swarbrick declined to stand stating it was "too early" in her career to be co-leader.[15]

Debates

On 1 March a live-streamed debate between Davidson and Genter was held in the Legislative Council Chambers, Wellington hosted by Henry Cooke.[16] Davidson and Genter again met in a debate hosted by Lisa Owen on Newshub Nation on 10 March,[17] and in another hosted by Mihingarangi Forbes on The Hui on 11 March.[18]

Result

The voting was conducted by delegates from electorates across the country. The following table gives the ballot results:[19]

Candidate Votes %
Marama Davidson 110 76.38
Julie Anne Genter 34 23.62
Majority 76 52.77
Turnout 144 N/A

See also

References
  1. "Metiria Turei resigns as Green Party co-leader". Radio New Zealand. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  2. "Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei resigns as Co-leader". 9 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  3. Trevett, Claire (7 November 2017). "Greens meeting to set election date to replace Metiria Turei as woman co-leader". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  4. Shaw, James (26 January 2018). "Timeline announced for Green Party Female Co-leadership election". Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  5. "Marama Davidson elected new Greens co-leader". Newshub. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  6. "Green Party announces Ministers". Scoop.co.nz. 21 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  7. Cooke, Henry (23 January 2018). "Green MP Marama Davidson likely to announce leadership bid". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  8. Bracewell-Worrall, Anna (4 February 2018). "Greens co-leadership race: Marama Davidson first off the blocks". Newshub. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  9. "Green Party ministerial and undersecretary portfolios". Scoop.co.nz. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  10. Moir, Jo (10 August 2017). "Ousted Green MPs split over wanting to return to the party after co-leader's resignation". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  11. Cooke, Henry (8 February 2018). "Julie Anne Genter announces Green Party leadership run". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  12. Burr, Lloyd (7 October 2017). "Golriz Ghahraman NZ's first refugee MP in Parliament". NewsHub. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  13. Kirk, Stacey (22 August 2017). "Top Green Party staffers move on as turmoil hits party's backroom". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  14. Cooke, Henry (12 February 2018). "Eugenie Sage not running for Green Party co-leader". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  15. "Chloe Swarbrick: 'Too early' in career to be Green Party co-leader". The New Zealand Herald. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  16. Cooke, Henry (1 March 2018). "Both Green Party leadership candidates express doubt about budget rules". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  17. Swannix, John-Michael (10 March 2018). "Greens' Julie Anne Genter intends to be a 'clearer, stronger' leader than James Shaw". Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  18. "Green Party '6 out of 10' on Treaty – Marama Davidson". Newshub. MediaWorks New Zealand. 11 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  19. "Marama Davidson elected new Green Party Co-leader". Scoop.co.nz. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
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