Editorial: Better to know political leanings

Paul Brooks

I'VE noticed recently on social media at least one Whanganui District Council candidate complaining about other candidates' political leanings.

Since all concerned are campaigning in the field of politics, such complaints seem odd.

Although party politics has been absent from local elections since the late 1950s, it's true there are some mayoral and council aspirants who belong to certain political parties. They have made no secret of it -- nor should they.

I, for one, am pleased that they have the gumption to declare where they stand. The voter is left in no doubt and there should be no surprises later when said candidates have been elected into the system (or not).

Some, however, while stating their ambitions in their campaign manifestos, leave some things unsaid.

All of us, unless completely apathetic, have political leanings to one side or the other in varying degrees of list. So too, theoretically, should the candidates. Some of the voters might like to hear about those leanings before they put tick to ballot paper.

Campaign messages and advertising are seldom declarations of political allegiance and the voter is often left not knowing where candidates stand on issues of social conscience, for example.

A successful election is one with the right people filling available political vacancies after an informed vote by the electorate. People need to know as much as possible about candidates before placing their vote. If things are not declared or considered unimportant, the voters, effectively, are being misled. So thanks to those who wear their political allegiances on their sleeve. We now have a reasonable idea of where you probably stand on various issues and can vote accordingly.

To those who have made no such declaration, we are left unsure as to how you will behave in certain circumstances.

While unpredictability might be welcome in the camp of Donald Trump, for the citizens of Whanganui it is not necessarily the case.