If you're into trawling local Facebook groups then you've probably seen the words “Dunedin City Council” floating around somewhere. But what even is the DCC, and why should you, an ordinary student just trying to survive the dog-eat-dog world of academia, care?
While it is easy to think of local elections as something your parents bickered about with their friends over a glass of wine, they actually matter. A lot. Voting and political participation is important, and local elections are just as important as the generals (which take place next year). The DCC controls everything in your daily life that you don't really think about. The licensing for the student bar that everyone dreams of? DCC. The pothole that bent your bike's wheel? DCC. The rubbish mountain outside your Dundas St flat that has evolved into a new ecosystem? Yep, that's the DCC’s problem too.
So let's break it down. Here’s what the DCC actually is, why it matters, and how you can squeeze something useful out of them.
Meet the DCC
The DCC is our local government. We aren't talking about the Beehive, home to Aotearoa’s central government responsible for the country. We’re talking about the Mayor, Councillors, and the Council staff who call the shots about our city – because Wellington-based politicians don’t (and can’t) care about parking rules on Harbour Terrace.
The council is a group of elected officials, a Mayor and 14 councillors, who act on behalf of their constituents (people who live in Dunedin). They appoint a Chief Executive Officer, basically the adult in the room, who is in charge of the everyday runnings of council. It's easiest to think of the councillors as the decision-makers – the ones representing their communities – and the CEO as the one helping keep the wheels turning behind the scenes.
Local governments use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, where you rank your choices and your vote can slide over to your second pick if your number one tanks. STV is fairer than the usual first-past-the-post (FPP) system since it means that every vote counts. Rather than wasting votes on candidates who either already have enough support or no chance at all, your vote can “transfer”. This system also helps to ensure the council better reflects Ōtepoti’s diverse communities – from students and young people, to Māori, rural voters, and environmental groups. In short: be real with your rankings and your vote will work harder for you than it would under FPP.
What can the DCC do for you?
Housing: The ‘big bad’ landlord, DCC can influence rental standards and consent.
Rubbish & recycling: They’re the reason North D gets to put both their recycling and rubbish out every week.
Public spaces: So that’s the Botans, the Octagon, and places like that.
Noise control: They are the ones ruining the party, or if you're on the other side of the complaint, allowing you to get some sleep on a Saturday.
If you venture beyond the bounds of the University of Otago campus, DCC does the hard yards in providing third-spaces – free of charge (unlike paying for a coffee to hang out at a café). At local libraries, there’s free Wi-Fi, quieter study spaces, printing, and even the mystical thing called books! There are also art galleries and museums which are perfect for a cultured date spot when you don't want to pay for dinner.
On top of that, the DCC manages the things you don't notice until they go wrong, stuff like water pipes, drainage, street lighting, and storm cleanups. If you’ve ever seen trees go down in high winds or tripped over a dodgy footpath, that's the DCC’s problem. Basically, they handle the unglamorous yet essential parts of keeping a city running smoothly. You might not see them when the rubbish is picked up, but you'll sure as fucking hell curse them when it isn't and you’re left to deal with the stench.
How to get involved and why should you care?
Students and youths are massively underrepresented in local elections. Most councillors are 40+ years old and their knees pop too much while walking (and probably won’t be the ones piping up on behalf of cycle lanes). If we want a city that works for renters, students, and soon-to-be-grads, then we need to show up for ourselves – rather than leave it to the Dunedin News boomers, whose priorities are complaining about infrastructure whilst unwilling to invest in its improvement.
Local elections can have a greater effect on the lives we live because there is a lot less red tape that decisions have to go through. Young people are the demographic most likely to ‘forget’ to vote, which is wild considering the council arguably affects your day-to-day life more than Parliament does. You might not be affected by the proposed changes to NCEA, but you’d surely notice if the 2014 proposal of banning shots after midnight went ahead (need my nightcap tequila, thanks). Even the small stuff is debated by councillors, like deciding whether students should get their rubbish picked up weekly (are you fucking kidding me?) so having voices that understand what we need in the room matters. The more students that actually vote, the harder it becomes for the council to ignore issues like shit housing, broken buses, or the fact that most of us can’t afford to park our cars anywhere near uni.
This year, Dunedin has the most candidates running for mayor out of every region across the motu. Which is cool, but also means you need to vote smart. Don't just tick the box for the name you find the funniest – we might end up with another mayor who reckons Dunedin is safe from the effects of climate change since the “water is so cold down here”, but hey if that's not one of your big concerns, then go for it. Read up on the candidates, go to the forums, talk with your friends, anything to help you make the decision that reflects what you want to see in this city. If we were to treat council elections with the same hype we gave the latest season of Love Island, Ōtepoti might actually start working better for us.
How to vote
Unlike what you may have heard, if you left updating your address or even registering until after the 1st of August deadline, you can still vote. You won't be printed on the electoral roll, but your vote will count as a ‘special vote’. Unfortunately your voting papers won't go directly to your mail box, but it's still super easy to cast your vote. You can either go to the Civic Centre, which is in the Octagon, to cast a special vote or grab a special voting paper. People who did register before August 1st will receive their voting papers in the mail to the address they registered under.
Once you have your papers and have ranked the candidates to your liking, it's time to mail the papers in. There will be boxes to drop them off all around Dunedin. For students, the most convenient drop locations are all of the New Worlds, Woolworths, Pak’nSAVE, at the Uni, and all of the public libraries. These need to be dropped off before midday on Friday the 10th of October. If you can't make it to any of these locations, dropping your papers off at your closest post office works too, but those have to be sent by the 7th of October.
Once everything is in we will find out on the 11th of October the preliminary results, which are then confirmed on the 16th to include all special votes.