1996 New Zealand Election Study

The objectives of the 1996 election study were two-fold: to monitor the democratic process during New Zealand's transition from a plurality (first-past-the-post) electoral system to a proportional (MMP) system, and to gauge the attitudes, opinions and behaviours of electors. Two election surveys were conducted - one during the campaign and the other after the election. Electors surveyed in the pre-election phase answered questions on party affiliation, preferred Prime Minister, most important issue affecting voting choice, party and candidate the respondent was most likely to choose, coalition preferences, parties the respondent expected to form the next government, and the relative importance of party and electoral votes under MMP. Electors in the post-election phase were asked questions on their interest in politics, the type of communication (e.g. phone calls, letters) received from members of campaigning parties; previous and current party affiliation; the effectiveness of M.P.s; unity of the main political parties, the performance of the government; important election and social issues, the power of the vote and the need for a one-party government. Background variables included age, gender, marital status, occupation, income, collection of benefits, subjective class, religion, ethnic identity and occupation and partisanship of parents.

1996年选举研究的目标分为两项：一是监测新西兰从领先者当选制（first-past-the-post）向比例代表制（MMP）转型过程中的民主进程，二是评估选民的态度、观点与行为。
本次研究共开展两次选举调查：一次在竞选期间进行，另一次于选举结束后实施。
选前调查阶段的受访选民需回答以下问题：党派归属、首选总理人选、影响投票选择的最关键议题、最倾向支持的政党与候选人、联盟偏好、预期将组建下一届政府的政党，以及比例代表制（MMP）下政党选票与选区选票的相对重要性。
选后调查阶段的受访选民则被问及如下内容：对政治的兴趣程度、收到的竞选政党成员的沟通方式（如电话、信函）、此前与当前的党派归属、议员履职成效、主要政党的团结性、政府施政表现、重要选举与社会议题、投票权的影响力，以及组建一党制政府的必要性。
背景变量涵盖年龄、性别、婚姻状况、职业、收入、福利申领情况、主观阶级认同、宗教信仰、族群身份，以及父母的职业与党派倾向。