Voting papers began arriving in the mail from April 10 and polls close on May 12 — as of yesterday morning, 10,214 (10.78%) votes had been returned.
Fourteen candidates are contesting one Dunedin City Council seat left vacant following the death of Cr Jules Radich in January.
Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker said the small by-election, with a general election looming, meant it was hard to get people ‘‘buzzed about engaging and voting’’.
‘‘It’s a bit too easy to put your mail on the table and forget about it, but I urge people to make the best use of their democratic right and have their say,’’ she said.
‘‘Jules left a huge gap to fill, and we’ve lots of meaningful work to do in very challenging times.’’
Ms Barker said she was hoping for a turnout above 50% and certainly wanted to see a turnout above 25%, which she understood by-elections often received.
‘‘This is a vital role around our council table. People need to think carefully about their candidate rankings too and make their vote count.’’
Dunedin had a reputation as a city of late voters and in last year’s election, a quarter of votes were cast on the final day of the voting period.
Council deputy electoral officer Robyn Dillon said turnout was comparable to the same stage last year, but a final surge in returns was not expected.
‘‘Your voice matters and every vote counts, so don’t forget to have your say,’’ Ms Dillon said.
Voters should post completed papers by May 7 to ensure they are received on time, or drop them into one of the orange voting bins around Dunedin.
Some bins will stop receiving votes at noon on May 11, and others close at noon on May 12.
Ms Dillon said special voting was also available until noon on May 12 for those who did not receive a voting paper.
