Gisborne Chamber of Commerce's Meet the Candidates event last month. Jack Marshall writes that we need a community that is invested in its council.
Gisborne Chamber of Commerce's Meet the Candidates event last month. Jack Marshall writes that we need a community that is invested in its council.
“Never give in, never, never, never,” said Winston Churchill while rallying Britain against the Nazis. Here in Tairāwhiti, we have our own battle: to increase voter turnout.
Voting rates have been falling for at least 30 years, and voter participation is now around 40%. That means over half of ourcommunity has no say in who represents them. If we want a strong community, we need one that’s invested in its council. The council isn’t some far-off machine; it’s made up of us.
Former mayor Meng Foon, whom I interviewed for my new Tairāwhiti-focused podcast and blog Now That’s an Idea, told me people turn out only when council decisions clearly affect them. If the council were talking about tripling our rates, you could be sure people would show up at the ballot box.
But why wait for a crisis? My point here is that there are critical issues other than rates that we can highlight and make people care about voting, but we need to be smarter. I’ve been speaking with council candidates about the issues they care about most to get a better idea of who they are. By knowing what a candidate cares about, we can care more about the process, too.
Alexandra Boros wants to see a revitalised CBD. Debbie Gregory is championing a local recycling depot. Jordan Walker is pushing to bring back the Youth Council to make politics more interesting for rangatahi. Mateawa Keelan wants to ensure a Māori perspective is embedded in the council. Jeremy Muir and Rob Telfer talked about the council enabling growth instead of fixating on compliance. Sam Gibson wants to support farmers and build climate resilience.
These are just a handful of examples, but each councillor has a different idea for how to revitalise Tairāwhiti. Tell your cousin about a council candidate. Share a Facebook post. Like an Instagram reel. By sharing their visions, we can help people connect everyday concerns with council decisions and inspire them to care about this election.
So don’t give up. Talk to your friends. Share what you learn. And inspire a voter today.
