The Public Service Association (PSA) has written to Minister of Justice, Paul Goldsmith and Minister of Local Government, Simon Watts, to call for the Electoral Commission to take over the running of local elections, after ElectioNZ failed to include information about Māori ward candidates in voter information for Whanganui, Ōpōtiki, and South Wairarapa district councils.
The letter to the Ministers calls for the Electoral Commission to take over running and publicising local elections, said Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi acting Kaihautū Māori, Marcia Puru.
“Giving the Electoral Commission the responsibility and proper resourcing to run local elections will help deliver more consistent results across the country, better serve democracy and provide more accountability for any errors that occur,” Ms Puru said.
The PSA is also calling for a meeting with the Ministers to discuss the situation.
“The failure to send out candidate information is a scandalous failure to properly run important local government elections, which are a vital part of our democracy,” Ms Puru said.
“This is really concerning for the integrity of the candidate election in Whanganui, Ōpōtiki, and South Wairarapa, and their referenda on whether to keep Māori wards.
“Voters in those areas are being asked to vote on whether to keep Māori representation through Māori Wards – all voters should be able to see the people standing for those seats before they make their decision.
“More widely, the public needs to know how widespread this issue is, and whether other areas are affected.
The PSA says it will be sending the candidate profiles directly to its members in the affected areas, so that they have all the required information aheading of polling day.
