In my last piece before the local body elections, I said I would be back today, either as a councillor who comments on local issues or as a local who comments on council issues.I am delighted that the former rather than the latter is the case and I thank you all for your support.
The results of the Napier City Council election were extremely interesting. Those who bothered to vote sent a very clear message that they were very satisfied with Barbara Arnott as Mayor and with the council in general.
There were 10 sitting councillors seeking re-election – 9 were returned and most of those polled extremely well – a clear message of approval.
I feel privileged to join such a successful and popular team and I will certainly give my council work my best shot.
I would like to congratulate all those who had the guts to put their names forward for public office. It does take guts to have a go and it is certainly a healthy sign when there are keen candidates vying for the various positions available.
So why is the turnout so poor for local body elections. Certainly in Napier’s case, there were no particularly contentious issues. There were no councillors publicly scrapping with each other – there were no controversial projects. But I think it is more than that.
The whole process is boring. The public meetings are ridiculously boring – for the very few who turn out to them and the candidates alike. They need to be jazzed up. Put on some entertainment – break the question and answer stuff up in to short sharp bursts. What could be more boring than 26 candidates in a row standing up and basically offering the same answer to some patsy question.
I would like to see a nominated election day, when you go down to the booth to vote. The postal voting system does not inspire anyone to vote – the papers are often just seen as more junk mail. Three weeks to respond usually means voting is left until the last moment and then forgotten.
So that’s it for another 3 years – for better or for worse – you the humble ratepayers have had your say.
Now it is up to the councillors to justify the faith placed in them.
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