Social media election protocols outlined

File Photo.

Sitting councillors were given an outline of what is expected of their use of social media during this year's local body election campaign.

The elections will be held on October 12, with the local body campaign to begin in August.

Rotorua Lakes councillors attending yesterday's strategy, policy and finance sub-committee were brief by staff officer Rick Dunn before an official (but publicly excluded) workshop meeting with electoral officer, Warwick Lamp later this morning.

Meeting chair Merepeka Raukawa Tait, noting elected members had to work as councillors until the final day of voting, said the social media awareness was a fine line the councillors did not want to cross.

She added: 'We don't want to be like Ben Hur – with no room to move”.

Rick Dunn says the council was providing information for elected members, the difference and awareness of business as usual, campaigning, use of council resources, building and meeting rooms which we need to be aware of in the pre-election period – 'the three months prior to the election”.

There needed to be a clear distinction between roles as councillor and as a candidate standing again, says Rick.

Cr Charles Sturt says if an IT device was council owned it was taboo. But if the devices (iPhones, iPads etc) were for personal use, it was okay. 'That's correct,” Rick replied.

Cr Peter Bentley asked why this 'chappie Lampp” was addressing only elected members and not prospective candidates, Rick confirmed that as in the past the public could attend a similar occasion later in the year.

Oonagh Hopkins, the council's planning and governance manager, says the protocols were different.

'This is an opportunity for you to speak to our elected officer,” says Oonagh. 'We appoint him to undertake that process and run elections for us. There will be an open public meeting with Peter Lampp. The objective of today's workshop is for good awareness for councillors.”

To a Bentley question, she could name a date for Lampp's meeting with the public.

Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson says that until nominations were called for, 'no one is a candidate, really”.

'We have to be very careful how we proceed.”

He says there was a 'keenness” for the campaign to begin before the due time.

Candidates must comply with the following guidelines for social media use and presence related to campaigning: Things to be aware of:

■ Election advertising, using any media, including social media, must identify the person under whose authority they have been produced, as per sections 113-115 of the Local Electoral Act 2001. This means in your profile photo/bio, you must have a statement saying that all content/images on your social media channel are authorised by you or your agent. You must include a physical address in the authorisation statement.

■ The council's social media accounts, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Neighbourly, are not permitted to be used as a communications channel by anyone (candidates or members of the public) for promotion, electioneering or campaigning. This also applies to all social media accounts owned by Council-controlled organisations.

■ The council's social media accounts are constantly monitored and any campaign related or electioneering content will be removed immediately.

■ If Rotorua Lakes Council already follows a councillor's public social media accounts, they will be unfollowed three months before the election date – a protocol is in line with the Local Electoral Act

own – or someone else's – nomination, intention to run for the council, or election campaign, will be removed immediately.

■ Candidates cannot reply to the council's social media posts or share with a comment encouraging people to like or follow their own social media accounts or any other electioneering tool. Any posts that do this will be removed immediately.

■ Candidates must not link their own social media accounts (if they are used for campaigning purposes) to the Council's social media accounts.

■Candidates cannot rate, review, check-in or tag the Council's social media channels.

■ The council's social media accounts will remain neutral. Rotorua Lakes Council will promote elections and the importance of voting but will not associate these posts with any candidates.

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