The following media release comes from Local Government New Zealand.
Local Government New Zealand’s (LGNZ’s) new #Vote16NZ campaign encourages more Kiwis to get involved in the Local Authority Elections this October.
LGNZ’s campaign, running until the 8 October polling date, aims to lift voter numbers above 50 percent nationally for the first time since 1998. The campaign also encourages citizens with strong leadership qualities and a passion for their community to consider standing as candidates themselves. Measures to build elector turnout will include a strong focus on younger voters.
LGNZ President Lawrence Yule says the first step to improve these statistics is to raise public awareness of the value of local government and the role it plays in the everyday lives of New Zealanders.
“Our aim is to grow citizens’ understanding of the breadth of services delivered each day by local governments across New Zealand, and the impact those services have on their everyday lives. By making that connection, we hope it inspires Kiwis to take a more proactive stance on the issues they care about in their communities,” says Mr Yule.
The final step is ensuring voters have access to the information they need about candidates standing in their community and about the voting process, including when, where and how they can vote. Mr Yule urges New Zealanders to find out more about what their local council is doing in their own community and how they can get involved and have their say in how to shape it.