Christchurch City Councillor Aaron Keown has launched a new website designed to give residents a clear picture of how councillors have voted on key issues.
Keown, who was re-elected unopposed in Harewood, said the site – howtheyvoted.nz – uses official council voting records to track decisions on everything from rates rises to cycleways.
“People often ask who made those decisions and why. When I post voting records on my Facebook page, they get a lot of attention. This website makes that information accessible for everyone,” Keown told chrislynchmedia.com.
Keown said the tool was about transparency and giving voters the power to hold elected members accountable.
This week’s debate on a proposed speed hump on Harewood Road was one example, he said. “A number of councillors talked like they were going to support it, but in the end only Sara Templeton was left hung out to dry, the only one voting for it. I think the upcoming election made a few change their minds.”
Asked if the site could influence voting behaviour around the council table, Keown said that was possible. “Now that people know I’ll share controversial votes publicly, councillors might think twice about ignoring the majority view.”
Keown rejected criticism that the site oversimplified complex issues. “That’s exactly how the public think about it. Council spends millions every year on communications, but people still don’t know what’s going on. This puts the decisions in plain language: on this road, these councillors voted for a speed bump. People can make their own judgement.”
The councillor said he hoped voters would use the site in the lead-up to the election. “You can pick the issue that matters most to you, click on it, and see how your councillor voted. If their record doesn’t align with your views, then you’ve got a choice at election time.”
Keown said he would like to see similar initiatives rolled out across the country. “This kind of transparency should be standard. The more people understand how decisions are made, the more likely they are to engage with local democracy.”
The website is live now at howtheyvoted.nz.
