The People's Choice (political ticket)


The People's Choice is a centre-left political ticket that contests elections for the Christchurch City Council, and the Canterbury Regional Council in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The ticket has an association with the New Zealand Labour Party, and although it has never run a mayoral candidate under its modern title, it tends to support centre-left mayors both on council and during election campaigns. The People's Choice city council caucus is currently headed by the ticket's leader, Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner.
In 2016 in a partial return to Democracy for Canterbury Regional Council in Christchurch, the Peoples Choice won all three seats it contested in the Christchurch ward. In 2019 there will be a full return to democracy for Environment Canterbury, with many more seats to be contested. Lan Pham, Cynthia Roberts and Steve Lowndes were elected as People's Choice candidates in the 2016 elections.

Policy

The People's Choice sits to the left of the centre-right Independent Citizens grouping on council, and supports such initiatives as expanding social housing, making pool entry free for children and their caregivers and opposing the sale of council-owned assets. In its policy manifesto, the ticket also voices support for a rental warrant of fitness and "supporting Māori economic development through partnership with Ngāi Tahu and other iwi".