Time is running out for council candidates to put their names forward

Five days before nominations for October’s council elections close, a political scientist is hoping more candidates put their names forward.

Dr Jean Drage​, a political scientist specialising in local government, believes it is essential for voters to have a choice in elections.

“We want to make sure that those elected have a mandate.”

Christchurch is faring better than some district councils, which are struggling to attract any nominations for some seats.

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In Christchurch, as of 5pm on Friday, 36 candidates had been confirmed for 16 councillor seats and the mayoralty and 52 nominations had been received for community board spots.

Most council seats have at least two candidates so far. Banks Peninsula has the most, at six, after Andrew Turner announced he was not seeking re-election.

Four wards – Heathcote, Riccarton, Fendalton and Papanui – have only one candidate confirmed. At least two of these have incumbents that have indicated their intention to stand but have yet to lodge the official paperwork.

Harewood still has no official nomination, but incumbent Aaron Keown has confirmed he is standing.

If only one candidate puts their name forward in a ward then that person is elected unopposed. They do not have to participate in the election process and people in that ward cannot vote for their preferred councillor.

However, they would still be able to vote for the mayoralty and a community board representative, unless there was only one contender in those positions too.

Two people have put their nominations in for the mayoralty – councillor Phil Mauger and anti-Government, pro-gun pastor Carl Bromley. Lianne Dalziel is standing down after nine years in October.

Many others have stated their intentions to stand including former Canterbury District Health Board boss David Meates, who has been suffering from Covid-19 this past week.

The Wizard and Crafted Coffee Company owner Mark Chirnside have also publicly stated they would stand, but have yet to do so officially.

Council electoral officer Jo Daly​ encouraged candidates not to leave their nominations to the last minute. The council would accept nominations right up to midday on Friday but if there was an issue with the paperwork there might not be enough time to fix it before nominations close, she said.

Drage said she was worried about the low number of candidates in some areas.

She had not researched the reason, since nominations had not yet closed, but she wondered if the increased Government reform, including Three Waters and changes to the Resource Management Act, could be partly to blame.

Drage said it was important people showed central Government they were interested in local government. They could do that by standing for seats and voting, she said.

Voter turnout at the last local body election in 2019 was 42% nationally and 41% in Christchurch.

Voting papers will be sent out between September 16 and 21. They must be returned by midday Saturday, October 8. Preliminary results would be released that afternoon.