Abysmal voter turnout in Tauranga

People are being encouraged to take their voting papers to the council’s libraries or Willow St service centre before midday Saturday.

Voter turnout in Tauranga can only be described as 'poor”, with only 17.16 per cent of votes being returned as of Monday.

Traditionally, Tauranga has had a lower turnout than the rest of New Zealand on average.

But the current voter turnout in the local elections is lower than it has been in past elections.

With that in mind, people who are yet to vote in the Tauranga City Council election are being urged to take their voting papers to the council's libraries or Willow St service centre before midday Saturday.

The election is mostly being conducted by mail, but people can also vote in person at some council locations.

The council's deputy electoral officer, Robyn Garrett, says any votes posted in the mail from today might not be received in time for the close of voting, which is midday on Saturday.

Therefore, people should deliver their votes in person to a council library or the service centre at 91 Willow St.

The service centre will stay open until 8pm on Friday and will also open on Saturday morning to give people a last chance to vote.

'It's really important for the people of Tauranga to choose who will represent them on Council for the next three years,” says Robyn.

'If you haven't voted yet by mail, then please grab this chance to vote in person.”

People who haven't enrolled to vote or haven't received their voting papers in the mail can cast a special vote at the service centre (but not at libraries). No special documentation is needed for this – not even an ID – but you must be eligible to vote.

Council is using the STV voting system for the first time.

This means that voters rank their preferred candidates with numbers (1, 2, 3, etc) instead of putting ticks by their names.

Voters can rank as many or as few candidates as they wish.

Council's election webpage has more information on enrolment, candidates, voting and STV.
It's at www.tauranga.govt.nz/elections.
Voting locations
Council service centre (91 Willow St):
• Wednesday 8am-5pm
• Thursday 8am-5pm
• Friday 8am-8pm
• Saturday 9am-midday
Council library Papamoa
• Wednesday 9.30am-5.30pm
• Thursday 9.30am-5.30pm
• Friday 9.30am-5.30pm
• Saturday 9.30am-midday
Council libraries Greerton, Mount Maunganui
• Wednesday 9.30am-5pm
• Thursday 9.30am-5pm
• Friday 9.30am-5pm
• Saturday 9.30am-midday
Special votes
Council service centre (91 Willow St):
• Wednesday 8am-5pm
• Thursday 8am-5pm
• Friday 8am-8pm
• Saturday 9am-midday
Not available at libraries

You may also like....

9 comments

If You Don't Vote

Posted on 09-10-2019 11:30 | By Yadick

You have no right to complain but then again with a new Council hopefully there won't be complaining. Vote now for the change we need, for the change you want.


Archaic System

Posted on 09-10-2019 13:09 | By WestieMum

The whole way it is run needs a revamp. Vote online for a start. The booklet of candidate information is full of irrelevant information - we don't need to know if they are married and to whom, how many sprogs they have, or whether they are locals. It's the best person for the job, with business acumen (after all it's a multi $1m business, covering a huge range of services), and whether they have the right attitude, values, are they innovative, people orientated. And strong will power - because while they start with good intentions, local govt is a beast, and nothing happens quickly. It amuses and concerns me that a candidate can get elected because of a catchy slogan (think Pick Rick). It needs to be a whole lot more robust than it is.


Voting

Posted on 09-10-2019 13:38 | By WBayB0P

Too bad you can't vote online. Post is ancient now and paper is a waste. Perhaps there's less votes for the same reason grandma isn't getting postcards anymore.


Trusted

Posted on 09-10-2019 14:20 | By hapukafin

My friends and made an effort to vote in the last 3 election,voted for people who made certain promise.followed them on certain issues and they followed the leader.nothing they stood for ever happened,We got to live with the outcome anyway so Im not going to give them the opportunity to say they got so many votes


Voting

Posted on 09-10-2019 14:55 | By mlangdon

The voting papers are too complicated, far too many candidates, the booklet is full of nonsense, wr just want to know what people can do for the city not how wonderful they think they are, postal voting is a thing of the past for the younger generation, need yo include on line voting as an option, much easier and faster.


STV voting system

Posted on 09-10-2019 16:58 | By davidt5

I place my vote on candidate A. STV transfers my vote to candidate B or even on to candidate C. But this is not my intended choice. The system is robbing me of my vote. Why bother to vote when the system the council has chosen is fatally flawed? At least with 1st past the post my vote counts in the manner in which I intended. The system is rigged so that only "Yes" candidates get elected. Might as well not bother with elections and let the council choose the members that they want. Certainly not democracy as I understand it.


Little Choice

Posted on 09-10-2019 22:17 | By Really

No wonder it is low, with the dismal selection of candidates to choose from in Tauranga - voting isn't going to help!!


Non Voters

Posted on 10-10-2019 07:39 | By Lvdw

always end up as the biggest keyboard warriors after the fact. Put your money where your mouth (fingers) is for once. Stand up and be counted!


Davidt5

Posted on 10-10-2019 17:27 | By Slim Shady

I think you have demonstrated the flaw in the system. That being that some voters clearly do not grasp the STV system. Your vote only transfers from A to B if you rank B as your second choice. If you don’t rank B, your vote will not transfer to them. Or anybody else for that matter should you only vote for one. God help us. No wonder clowns get voted in.


Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.