Councillors had the choice between the single transferable vote (STV) or the present first-past-the-post (FPP) systems.
Council was able to review the voting system every three years and to decide if a change was necessary but a decision was needed before September 12.
The decision to retain the present system could now only be changed if a poll was demanded by the ratepayers before February 21, next year.
Council last reviewed the election system in August, 2020.
Under FPP ratepayers had one vote which they gave to their most favoured candidates — the candidates with the most votes were elected.
Using a STV system, voters ranked candidates in their order of preference — voting for as many or few candidates as they wished.
To be elected, candidates had to achieve a "quota" of votes which came via first, second, third choices etc. STV votes were counted via computer software.
The Future for Local Government Report recommended STV for all local body elections as it believed it was more representative of voters’ choices.
Council staff said at a council meeting earlier this week 80% of the 224 of the Southland community’s responses to the council’s "Make it Stick Southland" campaign from June 19 to July 7 favoured FPP.
Cr Tom O’Brien questioned if the council was doing enough to inform ratepayers about how the STV system worked as it could be perceived as being complex.
But council staff said the information material used to inform ratepayers provided a robust and impartial explanation of the two systems — including the advantages and disadvantages of both systems.
Cr Paul Duffy cast the only dissenting vote against the FPP.
By Toni McDonald
