East Auckland locals will soon have the chance to vote for candidates at this year’s Auckland Council elections.
There are hopefuls in the race to become Auckland’s new mayor as well as for seats representing the Howick ward on the council’s governing body, and for seats on the Howick Local Board in the three subdivisions of Botany, Howick, and Pakuranga.
The vote is being conducted by postal ballot with voting papers being sent to enrolled voters from September 16-21.
Voting is open from September 16 to October 8 and closes at midday on October 8.
The council says people can post their vote in any NZ Post box before October 4 so it can reach its destination before the close of voting.
Posting the vote is free by using the orange free-post envelope.
People can also drop off their vote at one of the vote boxes throughout the Auckland region before midday on October 8. All boxes will be sealed at 12pm that day.
The council elections are run using the ‘first past the post’ electoral system.
Voters tick the circle beside the name of the candidate or candidates they most prefer, taking into account the number of vacancies.
When voting papers go out, people will have the chance to cast a single vote for Auckland’s mayor, for two Howick ward councillors, and three Howick Local Board members to represent the subdivision the voter lives in.
The votes will be counted and the candidates with the most votes are elected, the council says.
“If there is one vacancy, you can only vote for one candidate.
“If there are three vacancies, you can vote for three candidates, etc.”
Go online to www.voteauckland.co.nz for more information and to enrol to vote.
Auckland Council Howick ward candidates (two vacancies) and their political affiliation:
Bo BURNS, #Burns&Young
Damian LIGHT, Independent
Sharon STEWART, Independent
Maurice WILLIAMSON, Independent
Morgan XIAO, no affiliation listed
Paul YOUNG, #Burns&Young
Howick Local Board candidates and their affiliation
Botany subdivision (three vacancies)
Ajay BAL, #weknowbotany
Luke COLLINGS, no affiliation listed
Judith GRANT, #weknowbotany
Dwayne HANCOCK, C&R – Communities and Residents
Ashleigh HARDING, Independent
Damian LIGHT, Independent
Mark TERRILL, no affiliation listed
Mike TURINSKY, Practical not Political
Peter YOUNG, #weknowbotany
Howick subdivision (three vacancies)
Bo BURNS, weknowhowick
Matthew Paul SHEEHY, Independent
John SPILLER, #weknowhowick
Sharon STEWART, Independent
Adele WHITE, #weknowhowick
Pakuranga subdivision (three vacancies)
Khalyd BALOCH, Independent
Katrina BUNGARD, C&R – Communities and Residents
David COLLINGS, C&R – Communities and Residents
Billy DAVIS, Independent
Bruce KENDALL, Practical not Political
Campbell MATTHEWS, Independent
Nichola PAINTER, #weknowpakuranga
Vinson YU, #weknowpakuranga
