Council develops election tool to help voters
Waipa District Council has developed an online election tool to help voters know who is running in the upcoming local elections.
Residents and ratepayers can now enter their Waipā address into the election tool on www.waipadc.govt.nz/vote where a list of candidates will populate. The list will also include members who have been elected unopposed and the location of the nearest post office boxes to the property.
Elections will not be held in some areas of Waipā due to the high number of members elected unopposed for Waipā District Council and the Ngā Tai Ki Uta Māori constituency representative elected unopposed for Waikato Regional Council following the close of candidate nominations in August.
Waipa District Council governance manager, Jo Gread, said Council has never encountered this situation before.
“There was a total of 28 positions across two councils for Waipā residents to vote on this year and eleven of those were elected unopposed following the close of nominations on 16 August.”
“This leaves only 17 positions available to vote for Waipā residents and ratepayers in the upcoming elections so there will be some areas that may not receive voting papers at all depending on if they are registered on the general electoral roll or the Māori electoral roll.”
The election tool does not include those running for Waikato Regional Council’s Waipa-King Country general constituency.
Elections will run only for the following vacancies:
- Cambridge Ward councillor (5 positions)
- Cambridge subdivision of Cambridge community board (5 positions)
- Te Awamutu Ward councillor (4 positions)
- Kakepuku subdivision of Te Awamutu community board (1 position)
- Waikato Regional Council Waipā-King Country general election (2 positions)
Voting papers are being posted to all eligible voters between 20 and 25 September. Voting must be made by post or by dropping voting papers into the voting slot at the local Council office. Voters have until 12pm, Saturday 12 October 2019 to submit their vote.
The election tool, candidate profiles and candidate contact details are available online at www.waipadc.govt.nz/vote