The largest age group of unenrolled voters by far is 18-24-year-olds \u2013 just 62% are enrolled, leaving 166,746 people yet to do so, as of Thursday. But the law changes could impact others too. \u201cThis government has screwed over our generation [and] all these other vulnerable communities, like M\u0101ori, Pacifika, renters, working people,\u201d says Lee. \u201cYoung people are just a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nic Lee, aka Ellie, takes a break from meeting her constituents. (Photo\/Supplied)<\/p>\n
To help spread their message, Lee\u2019s character Ellie, or \u2018The Ellie Commission<\/a>\u2019 on Instagram, is non-partisan. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter who you\u2019re voting for,\u201d Lee says. Ellie hosts sausage sizzles, appears at events and twerks in Cuba St. The vibe is upbeat and positive. Everyone is encouraged to scan the QR code taped to her chest and enrol. \u201cThey\u2019ve just turned 18,\u201d says Lee, about some of the people they\u2019re hoping to appeal to. \u201cThey don\u2019t know where to start.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Lee is backed by a team spending their own time and money on this, and they\u2019re not alone. Ellie has appeared in the Instagram feed for On A Roll<\/a>, a pro-enrolment group run \u201cby rangatahi, for rangatahi\u201d. Adriana Bird is part of the crew that has volunteers all over the country visiting schools, markets and concerts spreading a simple message: it wants \u201cthe biggest turnout of young people in our history\u201d.<\/p>\n Those in that demographic are reluctant voters for a reason, says Bird. \u201cA lot of young people just don\u2019t really feel like their vote matters because they just aren\u2019t really being spoken to in a way that makes it feel that way,\u201d she says. \u201cOur campaign is essentially enabling them to see the power that they have in their collective voice \u2026 they\u2019re the second largest voting demographic in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n A series of concerts called Rock\u2019en\u2019rol begins this weekend targeting young voters. Others are taking a more satirical route. On Instagram, a mockumentary about a fake political party called Trust NZ airs in chunks<\/a>. Clips go behind the scenes of an election campaign that encourages young people not to vote. \u201cHow about a gap year \u2013 from voting?\u201d is one mooted slogan. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand the economy, you\u2019re only 18,\u201d reasons a Trust NZ politician at an anti-vote sausage sizzle.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dozens of people, including Sports Team, the crew behind recent local hit The Weedeaters, and The Educators\u2019 director Jesse Griffin, are involved in making the clips. All donated their time and money. \u201cEveryone who is doing it completely supports the kaupapa,\u201d says producer Michele Powles. Humour was chosen as a vehicle to help reach younger demographics. \u201cComedy is a great way to get through to kids, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Their videos might be funny but organisers say their message is serious. It\u2019s coming from a place of frustration. \u201cThis is the result of a bunch of us banging our heads against a wall, trying to figure out how the hell to convince a couple hundred thousand potential voters to go out and vote,\u201d says producer Annabel Kean. Powles agrees. \u201cWhy would you make it harder for people to vote?\u201d she says. \u201cWe really need to be making democracy more accessible \u2013 not less.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Carol Mutch, an emeritus professor at the University of Auckland specialising in critical studies in education, says the teenage brain is one reason for their apathy. \u201cIf you\u2019ve been a parent of teenagers, you know they\u2019re always last minute,\u201d she says. \u201cThey\u2019re like, \u2018I\u2019ll just do that assignment tonight and hand it in tomorrow.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The bigger problem: politicians and their policies don\u2019t speak to them. \u201cYoung people \u2026 don\u2019t want to engage in the formal machinery of government, politics and voting because they don\u2019t see that they\u2019re being listened to,\u201d she says. \u201cThey don\u2019t see that the issues address the things that are happening in their lives. Just look at their world \u2013 it\u2019s absolute chaos.\u201d<\/p>\n Mutch agrees comedy can be a good way to reach them. \u201cPutting out a serious thing [with] some grey-haired old fellow saying, \u2018The government cares about you,\u2019 is not going to win them over,\u201d she says. \u201cFor young people who can vote, it seems like a really cynical move to [attempt to] cut them out.\u201d (The changes were made to improve the \u201ctimeliness, efficient, integrity and resilience of elections,\u201d says the ministry of justice.)<\/p>\n Anecdotally, the message seems to be getting through. Trust NZ\u2019s videos have been viewed more than 400,000 times and are inspiring others to release parody videos, says Powles. On a Roll has helped more than 6,000 enrol, says Bird. Lee\u2019s spare time is being eaten up by requests for appearances by her bright orange character Ellie. \u201cI spend my entire lunch break working on this,\u201d they say. \u201cI\u2019m having to take annual leave.\u201d<\/p>\n A deadline looms. October 25 is only three weeks away. As long as there are young people yet to enrol, you\u2019ll find Lee wearing bright orange clothes and uncomfortable shoes while handing out sausages. \u201cYou\u2019re less likely to be aware of the changes as a young person,\u201d Lee says. \u201cIt\u2019s just not really on your radar \u2026 It\u2019s like, \u2018Enrol \u2013 and have a free sausage.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Rock\u2019en\u2019rol gets underway this weekend; dates and tickets can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\nA mock newspaper cartoon released by the organisers behind Trust NZ. (Image: Emma Cook\/Supplied)<\/p>\n