Maxine Boag: At-large elections not a fair system for Napier City Council

Maxine Boag

Every six years, all councils go through a Representation Review when they decide which kind of governing system works best for the city (ie wards, mixed wards or "at large" elections, how many councillors and if we want community wards), then ask for community feedback before making our final decision.

Our council decided on April 9 to stick with the status quo for the next six years: 12 councillors using the mixed wards-at large system, in which six councillors are elected in wards and six elected across the city. "If it aint broke, why fix it?" was the common comment.

What do you think? We are seeking your feedback, with the deadline of noon on May 17. You can submit online at https://napier.wufoo.eu/forms/representation-arrangements-for-napier/ or download a hard copy from the council website.

When we debated this, I was almost alone in voting against retaining the current mixed system.

I support instead the full ward system (12 councillors spread across our existing four wards). My decision was based on a comprehensive report from our governance staff, who undertook a detailed objective analysis of the last 40 years of council elections, concluding that of all three systems we have experienced, the full ward system produces the fairest and most effective representative arrangement. Have a look at the report's key findings here https://www.napier.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Rep-Review-2018/3.-NCC-Rep-Review-2018-Analysis-Report.pdf

In the report, they looked at key indicators to assess the effectiveness of each system and found that on every indicator but one the full ward system scored the best.

Our current mixed system came second, with the lowest voter turnout, but the highest percentage of female candidates and elected members; while the at large system fared worst, with the second lowest voter turnout, the lowest number of candidates, lowest geographical spread of candidates and elected members, and lowest percentage of female elected members and candidates.

Local surveys in the report show that 41 per cent of those polled in Napier prefer the current system, but as the local government guidelines say, a representation review "must not be limited to reflecting community views on particular aspects of arrangements".

In other words, it is not as important as other indicators like voter turnout, numbers of candidates, diversity and not having someone elected unopposed.

In my mind, any system which includes at-large elections is stacked against low-income and minority candidates. More affluent areas with high voter turnouts can comfortably elect their own over at large candidates who come from poorer suburbs and minority communities with low voter turnouts.

Campaigning city-wide can be hard for low-income candidates; while in a ward system they can cover their own community with less expense.

The suggestion that ward councillors simply pair up with at large councillors who become de facto ward councillors sounds fair, but is not democratic. The people who elected their ward representatives may not appreciate having someone else decide who will represent them in their home area.

Napier and Tauranga are the only territorial authorities with the mixed system, which we have enjoyed now for 11 years. I was an appellant to the Local Government Commission in 2006, asking for this system to replace the at large system, and as a compromise I see it has worked for some. We have, for example, elected our first ever Maori councillor after 140 years – in a ward I might add! However, the comprehensive report done by our staff has shown that basically the mixed system is not as fair as the full ward system.

Do consider making a submission. After considering these, the council will make the final decision, which will be open to appeal by anyone who disagrees and has previously submitted. If someone does appeal, the Local Government Commission will make the final call (as it did in 2007, overruling the council's decision to continue with the at large system and replacing it with the hybrid mixed system which appellants had sought) in time for next year's elections.

The current mixed system comes up second best in almost all indicators and I believe that second best is not good enough for the people of Napier.

I urge you to consider the options and tell us what you think.

* Maxine Boag is a Napier City Councillor for the Nelson Park Ward.