1978 New Zealand Pre-election Survey: Lyttelton

The main aim of the survey was to provide basic background data on electoral behaviour - with special attention to party identification, candidate and issue orientation - during the 1978 New Zealand general election in a highly marginal (National-held) electorate. The study also paid attention to the public's perceptions of the personal characteristics of the four main parties' candidates (that is, Labour, National, Social Credit, and Values Party candidates) in the electorate in an attempt to assess whether a 'personal vote' for or against the candidates could be discerned and quantified. The study was based in the Lyttelton electorate for three main reasons: (i) the representative nature of the seat; (ii) the fact that the electorate had been studied during the two previous New Zealand general elections (in 1972 and 1975); and (iii) the fact that all four main parties had women candidates in the seat.