Local elections are just around the corner!
New Zealand’s a great place to live. Everywhere you look – from footpaths to street lights, libraries to parks, drinking water to rubbish collection – councils are right there making it happen.
Not all candidates support the interests of working people. That’s why you need to vote for candidates who are committed to a Living Wage.
Lots of people don’t bother voting in Local Government elections. But what’s decided at your local council, licensing trust and district health boards are often the most important decisions for working people, their families, and communities. This is where decisions are made about the wages of directly-employed workers, as well as the contracting rules affecting the wages of workers like cleaners and security guards.
In these elections some big issues around the country are:
- a Living Wage for all workers and contracted staff
- social housing
- public transport
- protecting our public services.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE
If you are on the electoral roll at your current address, you will receive your voting papers by 20-25 September. Your papers must be returned to your local council by post or hand by 12 noon on 12 October.
If you are not on the electoral roll, you must register to vote. You can do this online at
www.elections.org.nz/enrol or by phoning the Electoral Office on 0800 36 76 56.
There are different ways of voting for mayors, local representatives and DHB members. First Past the Post means the candidates with the most votes win, Single Transferable Vote (STV) is where you identify preferences.
Visit www.localcouncils.govt.nz for more info.
GET ACTIVE
- Be on the electoral role – and VOTE!
- Check out actions in your local area because E tū will be active in local forums, urging candidates to commit to supporting workers and their families.
- Reach out to your workmates and encourage them to vote.
- Get active through your local E tū office which will be working to encourage everyone to have a say in how their local government is run.