By-election voting begins

Voting papers are going out this week to more than 3000 voters eligible to take part in a by-election to select a councillor to represent the Corriedale ward on the Waitaki District Council.

Voting closes at noon on September 17, but people who have not yet registered to vote can still take part.

''If you haven't enrolled in time to get your voting papers in the mail, you can still enrol and cast a special vote in the by-election,'' registrar of electors for the Waitaki electorate Gisela Craig said this week.

Voters who thought they had enrolled but did not receive voting papers in the mail, needed to update enrolment details and also cast a special vote.

Anyone enrolling from now on would need to apply to their local electoral officer to cast a special vote.

People who enrol between July 23 (when the roll closed) and polling day will need to contact electoral officer Anthony Morton at the Waitaki District Council to get information on how to apply to cast a special vote.

People on the unpublished roll also needed to apply to cast a special vote.

Two people are standing in the by-election - Fuchsia Creek resident Guy Percival and Oamaru resident Jock Howie - to fill a vacancy after Cr Sharyn Price resigned on June 19 because the after-effects of a life-threatening brain haemorrhage she suffered in January had made it difficult to fulfil the role.

Mr Percival stood in the local body elections last year for the two vacancies in the Corriedale ward and finished third.

Mr Howie stood for the Oamaru ward last year, finishing last, and in 2010, when he was second-last.

People can enrol or update their details by calling 0800-367-656, free-texting their name and address to 3676, filling out a form from any PostShop or requesting or downloading an enrolment form from the council website.

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