#88: Three things to do for Climate Election 2023

On making an impact this election

Oct 02, 2023

Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!

There are still things we can do to make an impact in this general election, aside from voting (don’t skip the voting part!). Here are our top three things:

Talk to three people who are unlikely to vote (send them the election guide or the overseas voting guide!)
Share the Vote for Climate election scorecards on your social media or even better message them to a friend
Volunteer: Find the candidate and party you most align with from Vote Climate and volunteer with them in this last week. It’s fun and rewarding, and our last chance before elections!

And an extra for experts (or a generally concerned citizen, ie. you):

Ask your elected official what their stance is on climate

But remember to get your house in order first, make sure you vote at a booth near you 🎉 Check you’re eligible here or if you’re newly arrived in Aotearoa check this quick guide on whether you’re eligible - turns out many more people are eligible than they think!

p.s. If you want a refresher on why your vote matters, here’s some wisdom from Bill Nye.

Screenshot of phone background with soothing water scene, a message has popped up from Bill McKibben saying “They got the money we got the people” — We’ve got this ✊🏽 (from Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s Instagram)

What can we do today?

This week, all our actions are based on the three above, and here’s why:

As of this September 30th, only 66% of eligible voters aged 18-24 have enrolled to vote. That’s over 140 thousand New Zealanders who won’t be included.
For overseas voters, the stats are even worse: only 10% of overseas voters voted in the last election - around 70,000 out of a total of around 700,000 eligible voters. That’s the same number of votes that Labour won by last election.
20% of voters don’t make up their minds until the last minute, and over 25% of <30 year olds didn’t vote last election.

We all have people in our lives who want to see a better world but think voting is pointless, or they are just too busy to make it a priority. The thing is, voter turnout decides elections, and by not voting, these people are effectively deciding our future.

🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Sharing is caring

Sick of the election already? Believe it or not, people don’t always see the same media as us (we have the algorithms to thank for that). This means that even if you’re sick of it, directly messaging and sharing scorecards for climate & issues which matter about you can really help to get people thinking about who to vote for. Remember now voting is open, we’re all allowed to share information and encourage people to vote - but not specify a party.
Action: Share your favourite information/scorecards on your social media, or in direct messages.

Ora Taiao's election scorecard - produced by 1000+ doctors and health professionals at Ora Taiao, the NZ Climate & Health Council.
ActionStation and 350 Aotearoa's election scorecard for climate policies, based on the Climate Shift 10 point plan for climate action, which was endorsed by over 40 climate groups earlier this year.
Vote for Climate 2023 party climate policy rankings.

🐇 If you have 15 minutes: Never too late to roll up and get on the electoral role

We love this Triple the Vote campaign: “Vote tripling” is a proven way of increasing turnout for better election outcomes. It has emerged as one of the best ways to engage folks who wouldn’t otherwise vote, and has seen some stunning successes in places like the US recently. Behavioural science has shown that it is so effective because even though you’re only contacting 3 people, people listen to people they trust.
Action: Think of three people who care about others and the planet, are unlikely to vote, or are undecided on who to vote for - and give them a nudge to the polling booth! (Here are some examples of messages you can send)

💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: Pester a preferred politician

Youth are often seen as a beacon of hope, but it’s a big burden for them to bear, protesting on behalf of the planet they’ve inherited. Join the Fridays for Future strike to show solidarity & support for this movement. Adults very welcome and needed!
Action: Join the Fridays for Future strike this Saturday in Auckland and Palmerston North
This is a time when politicians are heightened to listen to what their constituents care about. By bringing climate to the conversation, we’re shaping the conversation and helping other voters place climate at the top of their issues.
Action: Quiz your local candidate with these questions (if you’re in Auckland, there’s one this Sunday, October 8th)

Climate Club

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