Dunedin's three-ward voting system, approved by the Dunedin City Council on Monday, has another hurdle to jump before it can be put in place.
Brian Miller, of East Taieri, announced yesterday he planned to appeal the decision.
Mr Miller, who backs the idea of one ward for the entire city, said yesterday the council's decision would disenfranchise voters in rural areas, who would only be able to vote for one or two councillors.
Under the system approved by a DCC vote, the four city wards would be dumped in favour of central ward with 11 councillors, a Mosgiel-Taieri ward with two councillors and a Waikouaiti-Chalmers ward with one councillor.
Voters in the central ward would be able to vote for or against more councillors.
The idea of one ward for the entire city, an "at-large election", was supported by some councillors on Monday. Mr Miller argued he would only be able to vote for 14% of councillors, which was neither fair nor democratic.
He said yesterday he planned to organise a petition so he could "try to make the people of Mosgiel aware they have been disenfranchised".
People who were opposed to issues such as the Forsyth Barr Stadium wanted the opportunity to vote for or against all councillors.
He also claimed Crs Kate Wilson and Syd Brown had voted for the council's decision because of "self-preservation" in their ward.
Cr Wilson said that was not the case. She had voted the way she did because "a rural voice" was needed, especially on rating issues.
Cr Brown also denied the accusation, saying he voted for what the independent review team had recommended.
He accepted the right of any member of the public to pursue whatever option they wanted, and would be comfortable with whatever decision the commission came to.
Mayor Peter Chin said last night Mr Miller's appeal, and any others that may be lodged, would go to the Local Government Commission, which was required to make a decision by April 10 next year.
