Editorial: Democracy alive and well in Whanganui

Mark Dawson, Editor of the Wanganui Chronicle

WELL done, Whanganui. Take a bow ... and a pat on the back.

Our voter turnout for last weekend's election was the highest (preliminary figure 56 per cent) of any provincial centre and certainly greater than any of the big metropolitan centres.

Okay, we couldn't beat the Chatham Islands (70.9 per cent) or the Mackenzie district (64.3 per cent) or a couple of other rural spots, but it is still a commendable effort.

Certainly, there were issues -- rates rises; the wastewater treatment plant -- that were going to grab some public attention, while a swath of candidates and a seven-way tussle for the mayoral chain will have stimulated interest.

So we can be pleased that democracy is alive and kicking in the town, and that people care enough to vote.

However, our turnout was slightly down on 2013 and with national voter response at only 41.8 per cent on provisional figures, there is still concern about lack of involvement in local elections.

There are plenty of theories around this, and a number of suggested solutions.

One of the latter is online voting, and its time will surely come but, at the moment, concerns of security -- and the possibility of electoral fraud -- mean it is on the back burner.

But I have to ask: Is online voting the game-changer it is cracked up to be?

If people cannot be bothered with the not-so-arduous task of ticking a few boxes and delivering an envelope, then will they take the trouble to log on and click their way through the software-sphere?

It is a worry that many are apathetic but that's democracy for you and if they allow themselves to become increasingly disenfranchised, they will have no grounds for complaint when the local council doesn't meet their expectations.

Does it mean only central government really matters, as some pundits suggest? I hope not.

I would be tempted to push for compulsory voting, but they have that in Australia and look at the electoral and political mess they have managed to create there.