Dunedin's voters seem to be exhibiting a small but welcome surge of interest in the local government elections, a little over halfway through the voting period.
In a polling environment of voting decline over more than 10 years, the percentage of voters who have marked and posted their ballot forms has increased in comparison with returns at the corresponding time during the most recent election, with the figure close to 2004 levels.
As of yesterday, the return for the Dunedin City Council's three wards stood at 24.04%, compared with 20.51% at the corresponding time in 2007, and 24.15% in 2004.
Figures from electionz.com, the Christchurch company contracted to process and count the votes, showed Dunedin's rural areas did a better job of returning their forms, with Mosgiel-Taieri at 31.52%, and Waikouaiti Coast-Chalmers 26.98%.
Voting figures have been decreasing nationally since 1998, with a total of 65.4% returning their voting forms that year, 56% in 2001, 54.7% in 2004, and 47.4% in 2007.
Dunedin electoral officer Pam Jordan said as well as the higher percentage, there had been "a lot of interest" in special votes, which were used in situations including where people would be overseas for the voting period, or had not received their voting forms for any reason.
Asked if she thought returns might top the 50% mark by October 9, the last day of voting, Ms Jordan said: "It would be nice to think so."
The council's polling booth at the Civic Centre would be open until noon on October 9, but Ms Jordan urged voters to post their forms as soon as possible.
