It's local body election time!

STOP PRESS
After Midweek (August 3) went to print, bookings for the Library's Murder Mystery fund-raiser were closed. But all is not lost. Both Stab in the Dark and the Bushy Park Homestead have agreed to run a second event the following night — Sunday, August 21.
Don't hesitate. Demand is high and numbers are limited.
Tickets are $95 each. Contact Sonny on (06) 349 3112 or email info@whanganuilibrary.com to reserve your tickets.

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It's local body election time!
Three candidates for mayor, 27 for council, two for Whanganui Community Subdivision, three for Kai Iwi Community Subdivision and two for Kaitoke Community Subdivision: they have all put their names and their reputations forward to be considered for office in the coming election.
Each one of those candidates brings skills, ideas and reasons why we should or should not vote for them. It's our job to listen to what they have to say to see if that aligns with our values, our hopes for the future of Whanganui.

Of the mayoral candidates, only one can be elected. Of the council hopefuls, only 12 can be voted in. The rural subdivisions are done and dusted with no opposition. It is our task to decide, collectively and democratically, who deserves a seat at the Whanganui Council table and to occupy that reserved for the mayor.

New Zealand citizens aged 18 or over are eligible to vote but must be registered to do so. Voting is a privilege earned by our ancestors, a right to be taken seriously and with gratitude. They went through a great deal to earn that right for us. We should not waste their efforts.
They have given us the job of helping to choose councillors who, using our rates money, look after our city, plan for the years ahead, and listen to those who voted them in.

People stand for council for many reasons and it's our job to know whether those reasons are compatible with our expectations of an elected representative.
The role of Whanganui District Councillor is a job, albeit part-time, and councillors are paid to work on our behalf. We can't all fit around the council table, so they do it for us, making decisions that affect us all. We, therefore, by choosing who does that job, decide who is best qualified and who has the best intentions. Motive is all-important. Why would someone give up so much of their time to devote themselves to an often thankless task representing the people of Whanganui? Is it for the money? Many would see the wages as pitiful; others would disagree and, perhaps, see the money as incentive.

Some would see the work as complex and too varied, demanding a broad, overall knowledge of the many subjects covered in council and committee meetings. We are, therefore, asking that our councillors are intelligent and have an understanding of council responsibility. Protocol and processes can be learned on the job.

Some would see the job as elected official as too time-consuming, especially if working full-time elsewhere. The time needed to attend meetings and the extra time required to consume vast amounts of council literature can be prohibitive. Councillors need to have a reasonable amount of time flexibility and few outside commitments, effectively ruling out a large percentage of the population.

Some hope to be returned to an existing seat at the table. It's our job to look at their council record and the work they have already done. Do we think they should be allowed to continue what they have started?

By realising there are large numbers who are not able to put themselves forward as councillors, we must value those who can and hope the responsibility we give them is well placed. Over the next few months, the candidates will make themselves known to the voters via various media to most of which we all have access. We may not know them now, but we should do by the time we get to work ticking boxes. To be uninformed by the time we send in our postal vote is inexcusable.

For those to whom this is all new, please don't look overseas for examples of how elections are run. Things are a lot more laid back in New Zealand, probably even more so in Whanganui, and we don't need rallies to get our attention. Our candidates are not larger than life and they don't treat the electorate as opportunity for extreme showmanship.

Successful candidates here are students of human behaviour and most of them know a thing or two about psychology. They will take into account the short attention spans and shallow thinking of some, while allowing for the critical thinking and deeper understanding of others. It's a game of strategy and knowing when and where to say the right things for maximum effect. They know how to use the media to their advantage without overdoing their own exposure and they know the value of making an appearance at the right function. At such events they know to steer clear of the alcohol, know which hands to shake, which shoulders to clasp and who to give a full embrace. Our campaigners have gravitas with a touch of humour, clear heads, know how to use media, have a passion for issues that unite and an overall desire to do well by the community.

All we need now are discerning, well-informed voters to take their job seriously and make some good choices on voting day.