Local government voters

The willingness of people to turn out and vote tells us something about a community’s level of interest in its local or national democracy. Democracy matters – the ability to choose leaders and hold them accountable is fundamental to responsive and inclusive government, and critical to ensuring that governments respond to community needs.

LGNZ's vision is for New Zealand to be the most active and inclusive local democracy in the world. LGNZ is committed to strengthening local democracy, which underpins councils’ mandate to act as an advocate and leader for its communities. Understanding why people vote or not is critical to the effectiveness of work that LGNZ, Taituarā, and councils undertake in the lead up to our local elections to encourage voter turnout.

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