“I think that’s just a characteristic of how our local government systems work rather than a symptom. I think it’s wrong to blame the eligible population of voters for not coming out to vote, because the way we frame and communicate local government has simply not translated effectively to voter turnout.”
-Sanat Singh, ‘Where are Auckland’s voters?’ Newsroom 6 Oct 2022
Every local government election there is a discussion about low voter turnout, yet every election seems to get worse. I agree with Sanat - people don't vote because they don't connect with council.
Absolutely elections are part of the problem - I’ve talked about how postal voting is clunky and we need to modernise the process. But we also need council to connect everyday with the people it's meant to be providing for - outdated consultation processes, poor online presence and dated language contribute to disengagement.
Council is too focused on process, rather than outcome. This creates barriers to engagement, like overly formal public meetings that put off most people and provide little to those that make the effort. I’ve seen numerous groups and individuals speak at the Local Board meetings, expecting to have a discussion about the issues but the rules prohibit a proper conversation.
Consultations rely heavily on people reading dense PDF documents that still only provide some of the details. Submission forms are either too short and restrict responses, or too complex and cumbersome. Auckland Council has pivoted to online webinars in the past few years, but in my experience we still don’t get the answers to our questions and the format doesn’t suit everyone.
Even in daily interactions council is challenging. I've helped community groups navigate the bureaucracy to find the right person to talk to - it’s rewarding when it works, but it shouldn't be this hard. You shouldn’t need to be an expert in council structure, policy and process to get support.
When I've been out talking to locals about the election, most don't understand even the most basic structure of council. I spend most of my time explaining what council is, how it operates and who does what. In Auckland, this isn't helped by the complexities created by legislation but we could do more to communicate this clearly and in a way that's relatable.
In my experience, engagement is about communication - people want to feel informed and heard. Proper two-way communication, where ideas are conveyed and questions are answered in fit-for-purpose settings. A one size fits all approach will never work - public meetings during the day are great for some people, but not everyone; the same can be said for evening online sessions - different demographics need different approaches.
We have to improve how. where and to who council communicates. Otherwise, we'll never address voter turnout.
My practical suggestions that I will pursue if elected:
Continuing to be available in the community to hear concerns and communicate decisions. Regular informal sessions across the ward where people can drop in and chat, as well as more formal opportunities.
Ensure that council communication and consultations are done in ways that are relevant and accessible to all people. Not just multilingual, but also multi-format recognising that people consume information in different ways.
Reduce the bureaucracy community organisations are forced to navigate through for funding and other council support, shifting the focus to enabling the community.
Revamp of council website to provide richer information in an easy and accessible manner.
Continuing to communicate council consultations and decisions as it relates to East Auckland using easy to understand language that identifies the key issues. Look to expand the distribution of this information (potentially through local media).