Results Released in Kids Voting Project

The votes are in and the results are clear: The district’s teenagers think along almost the same lines as adults when it comes to voting for councillors


Today (Friday) the results were released in the nationwide Kids Voting project.

In New Plymouth District, three high schools and one kura kaupapa took part in this project to improve understanding of local government’s role in communities and increase voter participation in future elections.

A number of candidates for the New Plymouth City and South-West wards, where the four participating schools come from, spoke to all of the participating year nine students at a ‘meet the candidates’ afternoon, and the students then held their own election.

NPDC Manager Community Development Bry Kopu says the Kids Voting results almost mirrored those of the local bodies’ election.

“There were just a couple of differences between the election results, which shows that our up-and-coming voters have a very similar approach as registered voters when it comes to local government,” she says.

Mayor Peter Tennent thanks the teachers and the students for taking part in Kids Voting. “Democracy is so very valuable, and I’m thrilled that so many of our students got involved in this project!”

Ms Kopu says she hopes the students have been inspired by the Kids Voting project.

“We’d like to see them take part in local bodies’ elections when they are eligible to be on the electoral role, but we’d also like them to take an active role in local government now,” she says.

“Hopefully with the success of the ‘meet the candidates’ afternoon, these students will feel more confident about contacting their councillors to discuss issues that are important to them, and also getting involved in council projects and meetings.”

The ‘meet the candidates’ afternoon saw about 250 students from Spotswood College, Sacred Heart Girls’ College, Te Pihipihinga Kakano Mai I Rangiatea Kura Kaupapa Maori and Coastal Taranaki School hear from 19 candidates who stood for the Mayoralty, City and South-West wards.




Kids Voting resultsKids Voting New Plymouth District Council results (48KB PDF)