Nominations opened yesterday to fill an extraordinary vacancy on the Cromwell Community Board.
The community board normally comprises seven members: four elected from within the Cromwell ward, and three appointed councillors from the ward.
Four candidates stood for the four board positions in the local elections — newcomers Sarah Browne and Mary McConnell, and familiar faces Anna Harrison and Bob Scott.
First-time candidate Mrs Browne also stood for the Central Otago District Council, leading the voting in the Cromwell ward with 1822 votes, 99 votes ahead of Cheryl Laws (1723).
Mrs Browne joined Ms Laws and Neil Gillespie as the appointed councillors on the board, forfeiting her community board seat and leaving it short of one elected member.
She said she looked forward to Cromwell having a second chance to let the community choose between some great candidates for what promised to be a full and significant term.
"I was disappointed in the October election to see candidates elected unopposed and I sincerely hope that this by-election and the conversations it has started have given the community an opportunity to learn more about Cromwell and what the CCB do, and how it is relevant to us all.’’
Nominations opened yesterday and will close on December 22 at 4pm. Updates to the electoral roll close at the same time.
If voting is required to fill the post, papers will be mailed out to electors on January 26 and voting will close at noon on February 17.
