UPDATED: 30/9 with Sustainable Waikato and a busload of Wellington groups!
It’s that time of the election season when various groups start putting out their naughty-or-nice lists of local government candidates. Because I’m the kind of nerd who likes this sort of thing, I figured it would be handy to at least get them all together in one place for people to refer to.
The list will be pinned to the top of the site and updated as regularly as new information allows. If you know of any other endorsement lists, let me know in the comments.
Candidates supporting Jobs That Count
These candidates have pledged to stand up for good jobs, strong communities and a clean environment.
Candidates supporting a Living Wage
The Living Wage Movement is calling on council candidates around the country to support a Living Wage for directly employed workers and for contracted workers delivering services on a regular and ongoing basis.
- Auckland mayoral candidates
- Auckland ward candidates
- Auckland local board candidates
- Wellington mayoral candidates
- Wellington ward candidates
Candidates supporting the environment
Generation Zero has put together comprehensive scorecards on a range of environmental issues and collated them on a nice little website.
- Auckland – mayoral candidates on the front page, enter your address for ward/local board candidates
- Hamilton
- Palmerston North
- Wellington
- Nelson
- Christchurch
- Dunedin
Candidates supporting children
Tick for Kids is calling on all candidates nationwide to prioritise policies that will improve child wellbeing.
Candidates who love/hate your teeth
Fluoride Free NZ offers a massive spreadsheet of candidates’ responses on the question of fluoridating your drinking water.
Labour Party candidates
Green Party candidates
By far the most comprehensive list! Key campaigns are also being run in:
- Auckland via the City Vision and Future West tickets (in conjunction with Labour)
- Palmerston North
- Wellington
- Dunedin
Auckland-specific
As part of their ongoing War for Auckland, The Spinoff have created an endorsement tool – click here!
Bike Auckland has a list of cycling-friendly candidates.
The Ratepayers Alliance (groan) endorses 25 candidates who pledge to keep average rates increases below 2%.
Wellington-specific
Wellingtonista’s local body survey is legendary. This year they’ve had just three responses – from Diane Calvert, Justin Lester and Troy Mihaka – based on a strategy of “we’re volunteers, we aren’t working ourselves to death to help you lot get good PR.” But they make for great reading, so check them out.
The Wellington branch of the Public Health Association have a scorecard for candidates running for Capital & Coast District Health Board.
Renters United surveyed and scored Wellington mayoral candidates on renting and homelessness.
Cycle Aware Wellington surveyed candidates for Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council on, obviously, cycling issue. The pro-Island Bay Cycleway group did their own rankings too.
NEW! Save the Basin Reserve surveyed mayoral candidates, city council candidates and regional council candidates on the greatest cricket ground in the world.
NEW! Living Streets Aotearoa surveyed Wellington City Council candidates about making Wellington a walking-friendly city.
NEW! The Architectural Centre surveyed mayoral candidates on urban planning, architecture and lunch.
NEW! Historic Places Wellington talked heritage buildings and Town Hall strengthening with mayoral candidates.
NEW! Student Friendly Wellington surveyed regional candidates on bus fares and city council candidates on rental warrants-of-fitness.
NEW! The Wellington Chamber of Commerce surveyed mayoral candidates and then uploaded the results as a PDF because they’re bastards.
Western Bay of Plenty-specific: Closing the Gap
Closing the Gap surveyed all candidates running in the Western Bay of Plenty district as an example of how to get information about local government elections.
Taranaki
E tū and Living Wage Aotearoa have surveyed local body candidates in Taranaki. PDF here.
The Mighty Tron
Sustainable Waikato surveyed and endorsed candidates for Hamilton City Council and Waikato Regional Council on, shockingly, sustainability issues.
Other online tools
Vote Local have produced an app which suggests voting preferences for folk in Auckland, Palmerston North and Wellington based on a range of questions.
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Let me know in the comments if there are any other good endorsement sets out there! Yes, that means the rightwing ones too – Family First’s central government scorecards are always good for telling you who’s worth voting for, if not in the way they intend.
Stephanie Rodgers 
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