Auckland Council

Website

voteauckland.co.nz

Judges’ comments

The VoteAuckland website shows its purpose on the homepage. The topic is immediately clear, with well-organised links for actions and information. The hub pages work well, bringing together titles, summaries, and images for clear messaging. The main menu is excellent, with well-thought-out summaries that create good information architecture.

The website covers its topic comprehensively. It provides all the information voters, candidates, and community leaders need to participate in Auckland’s local elections. The content on each page matches its title. Videos are used effectively to explain key concepts, with strong accessibility features including transcripts and sign language options.

Paragraphs are short and focused on one topic. Words are simple and easy to understand, with minimal jargon. Unfamiliar terms are defined immediately after use. The tone is professional, impartial, and consistent throughout — fitting for an election-themed website.

The layout is clean and uncluttered. Pages are easy to read with good use of white space. The colour scheme and icons on the homepage create an appealing first impression. The website team tested with appropriate audiences throughout the development process. This website is a solid example of plain language writing and information design that serves a broad audience.

Media statement

The aim of the Vote Auckland website is to empower all Aucklanders to understand and confidently take part in local democracy. This includes:

• first-time voters
• youth migrants
• people with low literacy
• people accessibility needs.

The website helps Aucklanders by providing information to support voter participation, especially given the city’s cultural diversity and the complexity of the local electoral process. A fundamental part of the website and a key to its success is the use of plain language and communicating in a clear and understandable way.

Vote Auckland is the region’s official local elections portal and is run by Auckland Council. It was launched in late 2024 to provide a one-stop destination for candidates and voters. Its key features include:

• Voter information — details on how to vote, postal voting rules, drop‐off locations, special votes and candidate details.
• Candidate support tools — resources for those considering standing, details on eligibility and the nomination process, campaign rules, salaries and council expectations.
• Educational resources — including downloadable resources for teachers and students on elections and local government, maps, plus information on what makes Auckland Council’s structure unique.
• Online election databases — including a search tool for voters to see who is standing in a ward or local board, candidate profiles and an interactive map to find a voter’s nearest ballot box.
• Inclusive access — including multi‐language electoral information, NZ Sign Language videos and an accessibility compliance rating of 100% (based on WCAG Level AA).

VoteAuckland.co.nz embodies the core principles of plain language:

“People can find what they need, understand what they find, and use it to meet their needs.”

Auckland Council is proud to be a finalist in this year’s Plain Language Awards.

Vote Auckland team
Auckland Council