~ Opinion ~

Election time always invites opinion - and so it should.

Our local candidates are being asked to front up to questions from many different quarters.

That’s fair enough - voters deserve answers.

But sometimes it feels less like a test of governance and more like a test of research skills.

And when those answers land on social media, another test begins: courage.

Because reading the comments made about you? That takes grit.

Dogpiling is a thing.

One negative remark on its own might not be so bad.

But when others pile on, the noise can drown out what’s actually being said.

As voters, some of it just feels grubby and makes us hesitant to engage.

For candidates, responding can risk a barrage of ad hominem* abuse - and not responding means putting aside the very reasons they've stood in the first place.

That kind of local engagement is, I guess, a form of testing but it's not for everyone.

At Waitaki App, we’ve long championed a safe and neutral platform where everyone is treated with respect.

That’s why we’re giving local body election candidates a direct-to-reader opportunity - free of social media mud-slinging.

We’ve invited each candidate to share their pitch in their own words, unedited and without public comment: just them, speaking directly to you.

The question we’ve asked is simple:

“What do you most want voters to understand about you and your vision for Waitaki?”

Their responses will appear in our election section, alongside a photo, exactly as they supply them.

No edits.

No annotations.

No ratings of which opinions matter more.

Just an even playing field.

This is about giving voters a clear view - and giving candidates a fair shot at being heard.

We’ll keep showing and promoting these candidate statements until 10 October, in line with election rules.

Because what matters most this election isn’t who shouts loudest online - it’s who we choose to represent our district when the ballots are counted.

~ Find key dates and enrolment info here - Important Waitaki District Council Election Dates.

*Ad hominem is Latin for an argument or reaction directed against the person (personal attack) rather than the position they are maintaining (point of view). Not only is it a thing - it's a thing that's been around since before the Romans named it.