Queenstown Lakes district voters have continued to improve the percentage of papers returned but by 2pm yesterday were still behind other regional electorates.
There had been 7906 papers returned by mid-afternoon, about 45% of the 17,420 issued.
Arrowtown ward voters led the way with 54% of papers returned, followed by the Queenstown Wakatipu ward (45%) and Wanaka (44%).
• Dunedin
At 6pm yesterday, voting returns for Dunedin as a whole stood at 49.32%. The Mosgiel Taieri ward's figures were 57.52% Waikouaiti Coast-Chalmers 54.89% and the Central ward 47.24%.
• Waitaki
By 12.30pm yesterday, voting returns for the Waitaki District Council were 52.42% (8193 out of 15,631 papers sent out). Voting returns by ward were Oamaru 53.58%, Ahuriri 48.17%, Waihemo 49.33% and Corriedale 51.67%. Waihemo and Ahuriri wards are not voting for councillors.
• Waimate
The Waimate District Council had logged a 49% return by 9.30am yesterday, representing 2720 papers out of 5467 sent out. Returns by ward were Waimate 58%, Lower Waihao 45%, Pareora-Otaio-Makikihi 43% and Hakataramea-Waihaorunga 19%.
The Hakataramea-Waihaorunga returns are low because its councillor, Peter McIlraith, and Waimate Mayor John Coles were re-elected unopposed, leaving that ward to vote only for the South Canterbury Health Board.
• Central Otago
More than half of Central Otago voters had returned their papers by noon yesterday.
Electoral officer Kara Leckie said 7574 votes had been returned, which represented 56% of the 13,568 voting papers mailed.
Maniototo voters led the way with 811 papers returned (64%), followed by Alexandra, 2691, and Earnscleugh-Manuherikia, 1505 (both 62%), then Roxburgh, 634 (53%), and Cromwell, 1933 (45%).
Yesterday's count, done with 24 hours left for people to vote, matched the total percentage of votes cast at the 2007 election. At the same stage in 2007, 53% of votes had been received.
• Clutha
At 12.28pm yesterday Catlins ward voters led the district with 517 ballots returned (64.63%), followed by Balclutha, 2422 (63.87%), Clutha Valley 501 (61.62%), Kaitangata-Matau 460 (57.64%), Lawrence-Tuapeka 500 (56.75%), Bruce 1402 (51.62%), Clinton 334 (44.36%) and West Otago 610 (41.58%).
Of the 12,020 constituents eligible to vote, 6746 (56.12%) had returned their papers by 12.30pm, up on the same time in 2007 (49.25%), but slightly down on 2004 (56.71%).