Voters in Central Otago are sending in their choices more quickly than in the past two elections, but many still have to make their choices known before voting closes on October 11.As of Monday 20.20% of voting papers had been returned, up from 11.16% in 2022 and 14.50% in 2019. However, that meant nearly 80% had not exercised their right.
Choosing their councillors and mayor has not traditionally been of much interest to those in Central Otago with the best turnout in the past three elections being in 2016, when 62.06% of eligible voters had their say. Since then the rate of return has fallen each triennium, with 56.27% in 2019 and 46.85% in 2022.
So far this election people in Maniototo have the cast the most votes (30.34%) with Teviot Valley next on 23.44%. The two significantly larger wards lag behind, 19.57% of Cromwell voters stepping up so far and just 18.52% in Vincent voicing their opinion.
Looking around at other regions Gore District Council was ahead of Central Otago with 22.75% on Monday as was Clutha District Council with 21% at the same time.
Anyone wanting to post their voting papers had until Tuesday to get the envelope in the mail box. Alternatively they could be dropped into orange voting bins — these bear a remarkable resemblance to a council wheelie bin — at supermarkets, libraries and service centres around the region by noon on October 11, except for the Ranfurly, Roxburgh and Cromwell service centres and Maniototo
and Roxburgh libraries which would be closed on October 11.
If anyone had lost or damaged their voting papers they could ask for a special vote at their nearest service centre.
