Queenstown Lakes District voters have a choice of three mayoral candidates this year.
With Clive Geddes announcing in June he would stand down as mayor after three terms, the way was clear for a new person at the top.
When nominations closed yesterday the confirmed candidates were Cr Vanessa van Uden, former deputy mayor, Cr Simon Hayes, a real estate agent, and Downer EDI inspections programme manager Michael Scott.
Cr van Uden was first elected to the Wakatipu ward in 2007 and has served on the community services, utilities, finance and corporate accountability committees, is a Wakatipu Trails Trust trustee, a member of the Wakatipu High School board of trustees and the St John Wakatipu Area committee, and is a Branches Trust trustee.
Cr van Uden (43) is married to Lakes Environmental building manager Peter Laurenson and has two children, Caitlin (15) and Laura (14).
Mr Hayes (58) was a councillor for two terms, from 1995-2001, stood unsuccessfully against former mayor Warren Cooper in 1998, but was made his deputy on the toss of a coin after councillors were deadlocked six-all between Mr Hayes and rival Cr Jerry Hohneck.
He stood again, unsuccessfully, for the mayoralty in 2001 against eventual winner Clive Geddes and Cr Hohneck.
Mr Hayes is the Abbeyfield Wakatipu chairman and also the Lions Head's Up Coin collection chairman.
He has lived in the district with his wife Ngaire for 25 years and has three children, Thomas (28), Mark (26) and Sarah (24).
Mr Scott (48) has lived in the Wakatipu for 11 years, is married to Lynley, a customer support services representative for the QLDC and has two children, Lauren (13) and Ben (11), both at Wakatipu High School.
He has been an active Volunteer Fire Brigade member for 25 years, at present volunteering for the Arrowtown Volunteer Fire Brigade; is a member of the Lake Hayes Estate Community Association; and has been a coach of Wakatipu junior rugby for the past five years, this year coaching the under-12 team.
