Queenstown-Lakes lags in vote response

Queenstown district voters are dragging the chain when it comes to voting in this year's local body elections.

Voting papers were sent out last Friday, and by yesterday the returning officer reported only 3404 papers of the 17,420 issued in the QLDC area had been returned, which equates to 19.6%.

This is well behind the other progressive percentages in rural Otago and Dunedin, with Central Otago (34%) leading the way from South Otago (33.30%), Waitaki (31.12%) and Dunedin (24.04%).

In the QLDC electorate, voters in the Arrowtown ward led the way, with 428 papers returned (25%), followed by the Queenstown Wakatipu ward, 1739 (19%), and the Wanaka ward, 1202 (19%).

Waitaki

At 5pm yesterday 4864 of 15,631 papers (31.12% ) had been returned for counting, compared with 33.23% at the same time in the 2007 local body election and 36.12% in 2004.

The Ahuriri ward led the way with 290 papers returned (32.192%), followed by Oamaru with 3105 (31.56% ), Waihemo 527 (30.66%) and Corriedale 942 (29.683%).

South Otago

By 5pm yesterday, 4003 papers had been returned, or 33.30% of the 12,020 sent out, well up on the same time in 2004 (31.69%) and 2007 (27.39%).

Of the eight wards in South Otago, Balclutha led with 1492 papers (39.35%) returned, followed by Catlins, 291 (36.38%), Lawrence-Tuapeka, 313 (35.53%), Kaitangata-Matau, 282 (35.34%), Clutha Valley, 276 (33.95%), Bruce, 820 (30.19%), Clinton, 191 (25.37%) and West Otago, 338 (23.04%).

Central Otago

More than a third of Central Otago voters have registered their vote.

Electoral officer Kara Leckie said by noon yesterday 4579 votes had been returned, which represented 34% of the 13,568 voting documents sent out.

Maniototo ward voters led the way with 558 papers returned (44%), followed by Earnscleugh-Manuherikia, 859 (35%), Alexandra, 1411 (33%), Roxburgh, 389 (32%), and Cromwell, 1119 (26%).

In Central Otago, voters can vote for their choice of three mayoral candidates, and Maniototo and Cromwell ward voters can vote for their preferred community board candidates.

No election was required for the Roxburgh and Vincent Community Boards.

Dunedin

At 5pm yesterday, the electionz.com website reported 20,723 of 86,192 (24.04%) papers had been returned .

The Mosgiel-Taieri ward led the way with 3944 papers returned (31.52%), followed by Waikouaiti Coast-Chalmers ward with 1790 (26.98%) and the Central ward, 14,989 (22.36%).

Voting papers must be in the hands of the returning officer by noon on Saturday, October 9.

 

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