STUFF
Who will be Christchurch’s new mayor? Phil Mauger, left, and David Meates, right are frontrunners.
Christchurch will have a new mayor by Saturday afternoon.
Weeks of campaigning have all but come to an end, with the two frontrunners Phil Mauger and David Meates winding down their campaigns.
The pair started taking down some of their 300 signs on Thursday and Meates has also been fitting in some last minute Zoom meetings.
“It’s got to the stage now, where I can say hand on my heart I tried as hard as I can and what will be, will be,” Mauger said.
READ MORE:
* Boos, an eviction and a disruptive slime monster: Christchurch’s mayoral race heats up
* Tubby Hansen, the man who has run unsuccessfully in every Christchurch election since 1969
* Lianne Dalziel farewells Christchurch mayoralty after nearly a decade in office
* Quiet early voter turnout may be due to concern over controversial candidates – expert
Meates said the campaign had gone really well and it was good to see the voting numbers were higher than previous elections.
“That is reflective of a city that has got a choice. Hopefully the votes will continue right through to Saturday.”
Voting opened three weeks ago, on September 16, and while people can still hand deliver their voting papers to libraries and service centres up until midday on Saturday, the deadline to post papers back passed on Tuesday.
KAI SCHWOERER/Stuff
Mayoral candidate David Meates starts to remove about 300 signs he has up across the city and Banks Peninsula.
The preliminary results will be released on Saturday afternoon. The sixteen councillors that will represent Christchurch will be announced at the same time.
As of 8.14pm on Thursday, 103,850 people had voted, or 38.3% of eligible voters.
This is higher than the past two elections at this stage in the voting period but similar to 2013.
Some wards have recorded a much higher turnout than others so far, with Banks Peninsula leading the city with 53%, or more than half its eligible votes now in. Cashmere comes in next on 47%, followed by Fendalton on 44%.
Riccarton and Central have received the lowest turnout so far, both sitting between 27% and 28%, followed by Linwood on 31%.
ALDEN WILLIAMS/Stuff
Mayoral candidate Phil Mauger winds down his campaign by removing his signs.
Overall voter turnout is traditionally low in local body elections.
In 2019 just 41% of eligible voters bothered to send their papers in. In 2016, voter turnout was 38% and in 2013 it was 43% when Lianne Dalziel was elected mayor, beating Paul Lonsdale by close to 50,000 votes.
Traditionally, a decent mayoral race has lifted voter turnout. In 2010 when Bob Parker and Jim Anderton were competing for the top job, turnout was 52%.
Eleven people are running for the mayoralty, but a Kantar public poll, commissioned by current affairs programme Q+A about four weeks ago, showed Mauger sitting on top with 58% and Meates on 26%.
STUFF
Most people think of councils as roads, rubbish and rates – but what do they actually do, and why do councils matter?
The Wizard polled third on 5%. But, 38% said they did not know who they would vote for, did not plan to vote, or would refuse to vote.
Meates had hoped to pick up some of those undecided voters. People will have to wait until Saturday afternoon to find out if he succeeded.
Discussion about this post