Vote Local

The Whys and Hows of Voting in the 2022 New Zealand Local Election

Why should you vote?

With issues such as climate change, COVID-19, population growth and sustainability, driving widespread change in our Selwyn society, the 2022 local elections have never been a more imprtant time to have your say!

I know you're busy with your assignments, part time work and your, lets call them “laid back” Sundays. BUT...it is not just a vote, it's your opinion, values and character. I also want you to earn the right to complain. If you don’t vote you cannot complain and we all love to be opinionated!

How do you enrol to vote?

In order to vote in the local elections, you must be enrolled to vote.

Luckily for you, enrolling to vote is much easier than enrolling in your University papers! Simply visit www.vote.nz and click on the ‘enrol or update your details’ tab. From there, you will be asked to provide details from one of three forms of ID:

1. Drivers Licence 2. New Zealand Passport 3. RealMe verified identity (what you use for Studylink login) From here it is an easy road to complete your enrolment, with questions such as your name and date of birth (difficult I know). The hardest part of this process is choosing your address, as this will determine the electorate you will vote in. There are 72 electorates in New Zealand, so it is likely your home address may be different from the address you use at University. The enrolment form says to “Use the address you consider to be your home”, so it is up to you if this is your home or university address. Overall, enrolment is an easy process, and will take no longer than 5 minutes of your precious time. Instead of scrolling Facebook next lecture, visit www.vote.nz to enrol and have your say this election!

Who to vote for?

If you consider Lincoln Uni to be your home for the wee while, then you’ll be voting for your preferred candidate in the Selwyn Electorate.

You can have your say on who represents us on our city, district, and regional councils. The people elected by you, get to make decisions about our daily lives and the future of our towns and cities! Wholly crap..that’s quite a big deal! They set and collect rates, oversee town planning, and provide services like rubbish collection, parks and libraries. Local elections no longer include District Health Board elections now. The boards are being replaced by a new body, Health New Zealand, which is kinda cool!

You can have your say on who represents your community by voting from 16 September to 8 October!