He is at a loss to explain why no-one else in the often vocal village put their hand up to represent the Arrowtown ward in the local body elections in September/October.
He was the only candidate when nominations closed on Friday, and is automatically re-elected.
More than 200 submissions were received last year when, after a mandatory six-yearly review, an independent working party recommended the Queenstown Lakes District Council abolish the Arrowtown ward.
The majority of submissions favoured keeping the ward and it was saved by Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden's casting vote after councillors' votes were split.
Issues such as the affordable housing development for Suffolk St had roused many and resulted in a hefty number of submissions, many from Arrowtowners.
Either this involvement has not transferred to the local political arena or voters are pleased with the job Mr Perkins (73) is doing.
Perhaps it is his wide knowledge of many issues.
He admitted to keeping the Arrowtown Design Guidelines, re-enacted in 2006 and his ''bible'', beside his bed.
''We're such a unique wee town - you have to live and breathe Arrowtown before you know Arrowtown.
"A lot of people outside Arrowtown see Arrowtown as just another town.''
When spoken to yesterday, he said: ''The first thing I want to say is I'm really more than grateful to be re-elected unopposed.
''But the residents are missing out on their democratic right to vote [for an Arrowtown representative],'' he added.
''I honestly thought someone else would run against me.''
Mr Perkins has also been a councillor for the Wakatipu ward and spent ''some 20 years'' on the Bluff Borough Council and more on southern regional councils.
''There's probably something in that too,'' Mr Perkins said when asked whether his many years of experience in local politics might have contributed to his unopposed re-election.
Although many people were highly opinionated on specific Arrowtown issues, all councillors swear allegiance to the entire district.
''You have to look at the big picture too ... it's not just Arrowtown.''
And with multiple ''big money'' issues, such as the proposed convention centre and the Queenstown CBD bypass, before the council, Mr Perkins said it was an exciting time to be a councillor.
''I thoroughly enjoy council.''
New councillors would find the grind of local government ''frustrating'' rather than tough, he said, mainly because ''nothing happens overnight''.
The previous election had two official candidates for the Arrowtown ward - Mr Perkins and Simon Spark.
Ange van der Laan was ruled out due to a technical error.
Mr Spark said a ''lack of time'', including being involved with the proposed Arrowtown Community and Sports Centre and family, meant he did not nominate himself again.
• Fourteen candidates are standing for the Wakatipu ward's six vacancies.
Two nominations for the district's mayoralty have been received:
Mayor Vanessa van Uden and Glenorchy resident Al Angus.
