Candidate comparison websites are a vital election tool, but can they be trusted?

Candidate comparison websites are a vital election tool, but can they be trusted?
Politics lecturer Julienne Molineaux says candidate scorecards provide voters with a much-needed information shortcut. (Image: Supplied)
Jem Traylen
Voting in local elections isn’t easy, particularly for those of us who don’t closely follow council politics. Busy and overwhelmed voters are increasingly turning to websites that provide easy side-by-side comparisons of candidates. But are these a useful addition to our democracy or are they simply a tool for manipulating an unsuspecting public? BusinessDesk looked at three popular websites: Policy.nz, How to Vote and Vote Local.We can unreservedly recommend Policy.nz due to its totally non-partisan and objective approach...

More Policy

Minister's $200m tobacco tax cut bypasses Cabinet requirements
Policy

Minister's $200m tobacco tax cut bypasses Cabinet requirements

Researchers say there's more evidence to support the repealed Smokefree policies.

Jem Traylen 26 Jul 2024
Holidays Act: no vacation for taxpayers
Economy In-depth

Holidays Act: no vacation for taxpayers

Let's pay billions of dollars and get nothing new for it.

Nikitin Sallee 25 Jul 2024
Health's 'hard reset', help wanted busting red-tape, and more...
Policy Business of Government

Health's 'hard reset', help wanted busting red-tape, and more...

Our weekly roundup of public sector news and analysis.

Jem Traylen 24 Jul 2024