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

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2018 Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand female co-leadership election
← 2009 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

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.

Background

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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

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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

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Declared candidates

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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

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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

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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

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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 —

See also

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References

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  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. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b Cooke, Henry (23 January 2018). "Green MP Marama Davidson likely to announce leadership bid". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  8. ^ a b c 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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