Well. The election is over and Len Brown is Mayor of the new Auckland Council and its Local Boards, and I stand on the sidelines with many others.
It is a personal disappointment - I stood to get on Council - but it was always going to be a big ask: keeping Auckland local government on track, completing the restructuring and making gains that the restructuring might enable. So in some senses it's a relief to be told by the North Shore electorate to make that walk to the sidelines.
The outcome of the North Shore Ward election was largely determined from the moment a big strong lineup of candidates decided to stand. It got crowded in my part of the local political spectrum. Two profile candidates from Devonport (both men - me included), plus a good strong ex-mayor and ex-Labour MP who benefited from a campaign that promoted her very well, and a former Alliance MP with deep pockets (another man), both endorsed by a Labour Party campaign supporting specific candidates. And on the other end of that spectrum was C&R backing another ex-mayor (with all the associated National Party support) and North Now's ex-WINZ CEO candidate (who's name alone seemed to be all that was necessary).
Party politics had a significant influence this time on North Shore. And voting was split across similar candidates, reducing individual counts.
Of course hindsight is always 20/20 vision. And that's what the study of elections and their outcomes is often about. It's called: psephology. Just thought you'd like to know.
However it's done. The grinding millstones of democracy have crunched candidates, campaigns and votes and ground out the result. I wish the new council and its councillors, and the Local Boards and their Board Members all the best.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
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Sunday, October 10, 2010
Time for Fishing and Reflection
Well. The election is over and Len Brown is Mayor of the new Auckland Council and its Local Boards, and I stand on the sidelines with many others.
It is a personal disappointment - I stood to get on Council - but it was always going to be a big ask: keeping Auckland local government on track, completing the restructuring and making gains that the restructuring might enable. So in some senses it's a relief to be told by the North Shore electorate to make that walk to the sidelines.
The outcome of the North Shore Ward election was largely determined from the moment a big strong lineup of candidates decided to stand. It got crowded in my part of the local political spectrum. Two profile candidates from Devonport (both men - me included), plus a good strong ex-mayor and ex-Labour MP who benefited from a campaign that promoted her very well, and a former Alliance MP with deep pockets (another man), both endorsed by a Labour Party campaign supporting specific candidates. And on the other end of that spectrum was C&R backing another ex-mayor (with all the associated National Party support) and North Now's ex-WINZ CEO candidate (who's name alone seemed to be all that was necessary).
Party politics had a significant influence this time on North Shore. And voting was split across similar candidates, reducing individual counts.
Of course hindsight is always 20/20 vision. And that's what the study of elections and their outcomes is often about. It's called: psephology. Just thought you'd like to know.
However it's done. The grinding millstones of democracy have crunched candidates, campaigns and votes and ground out the result. I wish the new council and its councillors, and the Local Boards and their Board Members all the best.
It is a personal disappointment - I stood to get on Council - but it was always going to be a big ask: keeping Auckland local government on track, completing the restructuring and making gains that the restructuring might enable. So in some senses it's a relief to be told by the North Shore electorate to make that walk to the sidelines.
The outcome of the North Shore Ward election was largely determined from the moment a big strong lineup of candidates decided to stand. It got crowded in my part of the local political spectrum. Two profile candidates from Devonport (both men - me included), plus a good strong ex-mayor and ex-Labour MP who benefited from a campaign that promoted her very well, and a former Alliance MP with deep pockets (another man), both endorsed by a Labour Party campaign supporting specific candidates. And on the other end of that spectrum was C&R backing another ex-mayor (with all the associated National Party support) and North Now's ex-WINZ CEO candidate (who's name alone seemed to be all that was necessary).
Party politics had a significant influence this time on North Shore. And voting was split across similar candidates, reducing individual counts.
Of course hindsight is always 20/20 vision. And that's what the study of elections and their outcomes is often about. It's called: psephology. Just thought you'd like to know.
However it's done. The grinding millstones of democracy have crunched candidates, campaigns and votes and ground out the result. I wish the new council and its councillors, and the Local Boards and their Board Members all the best.
Labels:
Auckland Council,
elections,
Labour,
National,
North Shore,
psephology
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