After weeks of political wooing, Invercargill and Bluff voters finally get to play matchmaker as voting in this year’s local body elections opens today.
This year, voters will have more than a month to decide which candidates deserve their hearts, with ballots closing at midday on Saturday, 11 October.
Council’s Electoral Officer Michael Morris said there was plenty of time to cast a vote, but he urged eligible voters make their picks sooner rather than later.
“The sooner you decide who you’ve got your eye on, the easier you can rest knowing you’ve done your part in showing your community some love, and made your voice count in this year’s local elections,” he said.
Twenty-seven candidates are contesting seats around the Invercargill City Council table, while eight are vying for Mayor. Meanwhile, seven people are vying for five spots on the Bluff Community Board, and eight are in the running for the Invercargill Licensing Trust, Morris said.
People still on the fence about who should receive their vote were encouraged to do their research about each candidate, by looking at the profiles available online and included with voting papers, he said.
Candidates had also been given the opportunity to express their views on a range of topics in Council video profiles, which can be viewed by visiting icc.govt.nz/findyourmatch.
“There are plenty of fish in the sea, and eligible voters in our community have a wide range of candidates to choose from this year,” he said.
“Taking the time to really think about which candidates align with your own priorities and values is critical in ensuring you select your perfect match. Having all of the information you need before you put pen to paper will help you make an informed decision on who you want to represent our community for the next three years.”
Casting a vote was even easier than swiping right, Morris said.
Voting papers could be dropped into a range of locations within the community, including at Te Hīnaki - Civic Building on Esk St, at the elections hub in Invercargill Central, the Bluff Service Centre, and any of the orange Vote Murihiku bins throughout Invercargill and Bluff.
Locations of the bins included:
- Invercargill Public Library
- New World (Elles Rd and Windsor)
- Mitre 10 Mega
- The Warehouse
- 4 Square (Newfield, Otatara, Ascot, and Bluff)
- Woolworths (Tay St and Waikiwi)
- Stadium Southland
- Plaza Supervalue
- E Hayes and Sons
- Environment Southland
The voting process was even simple for those who had not managed to update their details on the electoral roll yet – all it would take was a quick visit to the voting hub in the mall, Te Hīnaki - Civic Building, or the Bluff Service Centre during opening hours to cast a Special Vote, he said.
Voting papers would be delivered to enrolled voters any time between today and 22 September. If you had enrolled to vote, but did not receive your voting documents within that time period, they would need to visit one of the locations to cast a Special Vote, or contact Council to request a Special Vote document be posted to them, he said.
Those eligible could also enrol to vote up until Friday, 10 October. Their votes, as well as those cast on the day, would still be counted as Special Votes, Morris said.
Voting would close at midday on Saturday, 11 October, with progress results expected to begin rolling in that evening, Morris said.
