2013 local elections
At the local body elections in October we will choose our elected
representatives for the next three years to help shape the communities we live
in. There is still time to consider
standing for council, to encourage
others to do so and to support them.
Community led
approach
The challenge for councils and councillors is to engage
meaningfully with their diverse communities and to value their contribution.
The city of Seattle does so in practical terms through their successful
matching funds programme. Importantly, the city requires an inclusive approach in
neighbourhood projects and fosters local leadership. This partnership approach, giving the community a real voice at the table, involves a change of mindset from traditional
service delivery.
Assessing candidates
It can be challenging to vote wisely when faced with a long list of candidates many of
whom we may not know .
Serious candidates welcome invitations to meetings. If successful they will then already have an understanding of the
contribution a group is making. This is also
an opportunity to assess their experience, skills and commitment. What would they bring to council? How well connected are they to their local
community ? Who is supporting or
endorsing them? Would they contribute to
a more representative council?
Social media
Although there is no substitute for face to face conversations
, increasingly candidates are using social media to connect with voters. In Hamilton, one candidate gives a weekly campaign update
on her website, posts regularly to her
Facebook page and links to her blog posts. Whereas candidates are restricted to 150 words in the
official candidates’ booklet, her blogs,
written over a period of time on a
variety of topics, give an in-depth
insight into her thinking and values. (www.anjum.co.nz)
