Task 1 In 2009 there was a postal referendum on the question

Task 1: In 2009, there was a postal referendum on the question \'\'Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand\'\'. Everyone enrolled to vote by 30 July 2009 was sent voting papers in the mail. Envelopes were provided with voting papers to facilitate the return of the voting papers back to the Returning Officer. Voting closed on 21 August 2009. This was a citizens\' initiated referendum and as such it was an indicative referendum, which means it is not binding What was the intended population for the referendum? Was the referendum a sample or a census? What are the major sources of non sampling error in this referendum? Is sampling error a potential source of error with the referendum. Briefly justify your answer.

Solution

a)All voters(citizens eligible for voting) was the intended population

b) a census, as all voters were participating.

c) Major sources of non sampling errors are

i. People unwilling/lazy to vote and return

ii. Those who vote also do not know their responsibility and casually vote

d) Sampling error is not a potential source of error as here all population is sampled hence there is no question of bias or sample error.