Being on the campaign trail, whether as a candidate or a volunteer, may present risks to your safety and personal wellbeing. As a public figure, interactions that may result in personal confrontation can happen at any time, in both your personal and professional life. The risk can be reduced by having a safety plan and practicing personal safety awareness. Remember: abuse and harassment are never acceptable.
Your election campaign should be an exciting and rewarding experience. For many candidates it is. However, being prepared and informed can help you handle any challenges that may arise.
There is lots of advice available to support you. In addition to the advice on this page, general safety resources are also available from:
Below are some of the activities during a campaign trail that may present risk, and some suggestions to help you formulate a safety and security plan. The risks listed are not all-inclusive. The response to a particular risk is the responsibility of the candidate and their campaign party.
Displaying posters and ads in the community
Personal safety and security strategies
- Identify and avoid safety hazards.
- Be visible.
- Work safely.
- Practice good hand hygiene/wear face mask.
- Work with a friend.
- Have a first aid kit ready.
- Practice personal security and situational awareness.
- In case of any intimidating, aggressive or abusive behaviour from a person at the street where you are putting up posters, politely excuse yourself and leave the area.
Ask yourself the following
- Have you identified and eliminated safety hazards in the immediate area where you intend to work?
- Are you working safely while displaying posters in the community?
- Do you make yourself visible from oncoming cars and people traffic?
- Do you have the right tools and equipment? Are working safely with tools and equipment?
- Do you have the necessary Personal Protection Equipment (PPE - gloves, eye and hearing protection, etc.)?
- Do you “clean as you go”?
Useful links
Personal protective equipment (PPE) | WorkSafe
Keeping Yourself Safe - A Guide to Personal Security | Government Health and Safety Lead
Campaigning in the community
Personal safety and security strategies
- Have a plan in case you need to escape to a safe location.
- Identify and avoid safety hazards.
- Campaign with a friend.
- Practice personal security and situational awareness.
- In case of any intimidating, aggressive or abusive behaviour from a person where you are campaigning, politely excuse yourself and leave the area.
Ask yourself the following
- Are you constantly checking the environment for health and safety hazards?
- Do you need to enter the Constituent’s property? If you going to enter, have you considered your safety and do you have a safe escape route planned, or a support team with you?
- Are you constantly checking if there are loose dogs at a property that you intend to visit?
- Is there active construction, erected scaffolding and/or road maintenance in areas or sites where you intend to campaign?
- Are you currently receiving any intimidating, aggressive or abusive behaviour or language from any person while campaigning in a certain area?
- Is there a protest on the street/in the area where you are campaigning? Should you remain?
- Is your transport to the area close enough to get to quickly?
Useful links
Guide to Crime Prevention - New Zealand Police (2MB PDF)
Keeping Yourself Safe - A Guide to Personal Security | Government Health and Safety Lead
Roads - Road works and road closures - Wellington City Council
Campaigning at a venue
Personal safety and security strategies
- Have a plan in case you need to escape to a safe location.
- Have a communication plan.
- Have a security plan for protests and abusive/intimidating persons.
- Have a safety plan for natural emergencies.
- Practice personal security and situational awareness.
Ask yourself the following
- Do you know where the venue’s emergency exits are? Do you know that venue’s emergency assembly points and how to get there safely?
- Are the any protesters at the venue? Are you expecting any protests?
- What would do if there were abusive, threatening, or intimidating persons at the venue?
- What is your safety plan in response to natural emergencies?
Useful links
Keeping Yourself Safe - A Guide to Personal Security | Government Health and Safety Lead
Prepare for and respond to emergencies | New Zealand Red Cross
Venue safety and security
Safety and security strategies
- Have a safety plan ready for emergencies.
- Clear and accessible emergency exit routes.
- Have a first aid kit onsite.
- Be aware of the location of the nearest Automatic External Defibrillator (AED).
- Have a clear communication plan with all participants.
- Have a ready security plan about protests and abusive/intimidating persons.
Ask yourself the following
- Have you oriented all participants about the Health and Safety requirements of the site, including the location of the emergency exits? Location of rally points? Do they know how to get there?
- Are the venue emergency exits free from any obstruction?
- What is your safety plan pertaining to response to medical emergencies?
- Do you have a Safety and Security Plan for this event?
- Are you expecting any protests at this event?
- How will you be dealing with any protesters and any potential increase to aggression from them? Have you communicated this plan to the participants?
- Have you considered having uniformed security personnel present at the venue?
- Have you considered liaising with the Police about managing abusive persons and angry protesters?
- What would you do if there are abusive, threatening, or intimidating persons at the venue?
- What is your safety plan in response to natural emergencies? Have you communicated this to the participants and the people attending?
Useful links
Crowded places strategy | New Zealand Police
Keeping Yourself Safe - A Guide to Personal Security | Government Health and Safety Lead
Find out how to get ready for an emergency at getready.govt.nz
AED Locations
Road and transport safety
Personal safety and security strategies
- Drive to the existing road and weather conditions.
- Park in a well-lit and secure car parking facility.
- Safekeep valuables inside the boot of your car instead of in plain sight from windows.
- Campaign with a friend.
- Have emergency supplies, medicines and a first aid kit in your vehicle.
- Have a keep-in-touch plan. Inform your household of what time you’re expected to be back home.
- Always have a plan to leave.
- Have your mobile phone with you.
- Practice personal security and situational awareness.
Ask yourself the following
- Is your vehicle roadworthy?
- Have you planned your route in advance?
- Have you checked the weather and road conditions?
- Have you checked if there are any road closures or construction along your chosen route?
- Are you constantly scanning the road for hazards while you're on the road?
- Are you planning to be on the road until night-time hours?
- Are you actively scanning the area for suspicious activity or persons when heading towards your car?
Useful links
Prepare for and respond to emergencies | New Zealand Red Cross
Keeping Yourself Safe - A Guide to Personal Security | Government Health and Safety Lead
Roads - Road works and road closures - Wellington City Council
Social media safety
General safety and security strategies
- Sanitizing your social media profile.
- Practicing self-regulation when posting and commenting in social media.
- Saving threatening posts for evidence.
- Varying your travel routes and daily routines so it is difficult to anticipate your location based on what you are putting online
- Informing the Police if you are receiving threatening comments in social media.
Ask yourself the following
- Are you posting and commenting on social media that is making your time and place predictable?
- Are you receiving threatening, abusive and intimidating comments in your personal social media profile?
- Have you reported these to the Platform provider? Facebook, Instagram etc
- Have you reported these to Police? On 105 if not immediately life threatening, or 111 if they are?
Useful links
Netsafe – Providing free online safety advice in New Zealand
Someone has been sending me offensive emails | New Zealand Police
Own Your Online
Keeping Yourself Safe - A Guide to Personal Security | Government Health and Safety Lead
Threatening phone calls, emails and letters
Personal safety and security strategies
- Varying your travel routes and daily routines.
- Consider blocking or forwarding calls from unknown phone numbers to voicemail. This helps you record threatening messages.
- Informing the Police of such threatening phone calls, letters and emails.
- Saving a copy of threatening emails and letters for evidence.
- Practice personal security and situational awareness.
Ask yourself the following
- Are you presently receiving threatening phone calls, emails and letters pertaining to your election campaign?
- Have you reported these to your Telecommunication provider? New Zealand’s telecommunication companies have agreements in place to work together to help stop mobile harassment.
- Have you reported these to Police? On 105 if not immediately life threatening, or 111 if they are?
Useful links
The Lowdown
Keeping Yourself Safe - A Guide to Personal Security | Government Health and Safety Lead
Online harassment and abuse | Netsafe
Someone has been sending me offensive emails | New Zealand Police