FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Generation Zero Scorecards Aim to Make Voting in Local Elections Easy
Youth organisation Generation Zero will this week release scorecards communicating information on candidate stances on important local issues, which it has gathered from conducting interviews around the country.
The group believes there is a real lack of clear and accessible information available to voters and that the innovative candidate scorecards they have created will help solve this problem.
To collect the necessary information for the scorecards Generation Zero has interviewed an array of local council candidates to see where they stand on key issues in each region, from transport to housing and urban design.
Generation Zero spokesperson Madeleine Foreman says: “We’ve surveyed candidates on key issues in different regions and asked them to sign a pledge to prioritise policies that reduce carbon pollution”.
The interviews have been in person in main centres, and by electronic survey in smaller centres.
The group believes local elections are important and that the scorecards will play an important role in informing voters.
Madeleine Foreman; “Contrary to popular belief local councils are important decision makers in areas like transport, infrastructure and urban planning which have long-term implications and are crucial to respond to the issues presented by climate change”.
“We’ve created an innovative and simple way for voters to get a lot of the information they need to be adequately informed and to vote this election”, says Ms Foreman.
The results will be released as scorecards on Wednesday, promoted through Generation Zero’s website and distributed to voters in different electorates, including in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Palmerston North.
In Auckland, the organisation will release the scorecards at a press conference on Wednesday morning where candidates who scored highly will be available for press comment.
ENDS