The council's finance and strategy committee yesterday considered whether the city should retain the single transferable vote (STV) system or go back to the first-past-the-post (FPP) method.
A report to the committee said the council was required by the Local Electoral Act to make a decision by September 12 if it wanted to change the system before the 2010 elections.
Dunedin electors decided in a close poll in 2003 to change to STV and the city is one of few local authorities to use the system.
There were mixed views on whether STV should stay, but a wider acceptance it worked better in bigger electorates.
[comment caption=Do you think Dunedin should retain the STV voting system?]The committee faced the problem that a chance to make the electorate bigger - by changing the ward system so all electors could vote for all councillors - would not come under the legislation until next year.
Cr Kate Wilson said it seemed incongruous to choose the voting system before choosing the ward system and asked electoral officer Pam Jordan if the council could to extend the timeframe for the decision.
Ms Jordan told Cr Wilson the council only had to resolve to have a poll on the issue - but not actually have the poll - by February 28 next year.
Mayor Peter Chin said the STV system came about because of a poll and his view was the council should stick with the status quo.
If enough people disagreed with that, they could organise another poll.
Cr Neil Collins said there was confusion at each election.
People had "no idea who's standing where", because of the ward system and they were confused and dissatisfied with STV.
Cr Chris Staynes moved the matter stay on the table until the next committee meeting on August 4 to find out whether the voting system could be reviewed at the same time as the ward system .
The motion was carried.
