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Political scientist: Election campaigns already moving online

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 17 Aug 2020, 9:59am
(Photo / NZ Herald)
(Photo / NZ Herald)

Political scientist: Election campaigns already moving online

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 17 Aug 2020, 9:59am

Politicians will need to adapt to a change in the dynamics of election campaigning.

This morning,  Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the election will now be held on Saturday 17th October.

While the Electoral Commission said voting could safely happen under Alert Level Two, Ardern says she also had to factor in participation of voters, fairness and certainty.
However, Ardern says Covid is the world's new normal and gave the assurance she won't change the election date again.

Before the announcement, AUT political scientist David Hall told Kate Hawkesby a lot campaigning is done online now.

"We live in the 21st century and it will absolutely be a 21st century election as well as an election on the pandemic."

He says political science of crises says voters become very attuned to the competency of parties.

"People are very carefully watching whether they are displaying the levels of competency expected in regards to the pandemic. I think the Opposition has had a mixed result in recent weeks."

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