One of the council's get-out-the-vote events, 'Vote and Vibe' at Bremworth Park. Photo: Supplied / Hamilton City Council
A free family-friendly neighbourhood party is happening in downtown Hamilton on Saturday aiming to get people voting in the local election.
In the 2022 council election, just 29.4 percent of eligible voters in Hamilton cast a vote and deputy electoral officer Amy Viggers said the council wanted to see a large improvement to that number this year.
"I really want to have absolutely as many as we can. As of our voter turnout [Thursday] we've already had 10 percent return their voting papers," she said.
One way the council is targeting voter turnout this year is with events.
Photo: Supplied / Hamilton City Council
From 10am-1 pm on Saturday, a free community event in Garden Place will allow voters to meet the candidates, listen to the mayoral hopefuls Q&A and vote on site, all with a side of party atmosphere and events for children.
"We know that one of the barriers [to voting] is people just don't know how to vote, so we want to make it easy and accessible to everybody. We know adding in places for kids to come and be entertained as well makes it really easy for a family," Viggers said.
There will be a free sausage sizzle as well as face painting, a bouncy castle, a mini ferris wheel, and entertainers.
She expected most candidates would be in attendance.
"I know members of the community have been really wanting a chance to ask those candidates one-on-one questions and that's what we are going to be providing an opportunity to do," she said.
Viggers believed that events like these helped drive voter turnout and turned best intentions into voting action.
"We have been out and about all over the community."
This includes 'Vibe and Vote' events with DJ's and a chance to vote, along with pop-ups in places like supermarkets.
Viggers said people sometimes forgot the role of council in the community.
"We've got 15 members that are going to be voting on everything from our libraries, our parks, all the way through to the big topics - our rates - they make a huge number of decisions throughout the year and if you don't vote your voice may not be heard around that table."
Voting closes on midday, 11 October.
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