Voting in Kai Iwi subdivision by-election opens on 15 June

Published on 23 May 2023

A by-election will be held to fill an extraordinary vacancy for a Kai Iwi subdivision representative on the Whanganui Rural Community Board. The by-election has arisen from the recent resignation of a board member.

By-election nominations closed on Thursday, 11 May 2023, with nominations received from Brian Doughty, Quentin Handley, and Robert (Bob) Walker (Independent). As the number of nominations received exceeds the number of vacancies, a voting process is required and will be conducted by postal voting using the first-past-the-post (FPP) electoral system.

Whanganui Rural Community Board chair, David Wells, welcomes the number of nominations. “We have three outstanding candidates running in this by-election and as board chair, I encourage everyone within the subdivision who is eligible to vote to do so.

“The Whanganui Rural Community Board is the voice of the rural community at the council table, and we are looking forward to having our board membership complete once again. The board has some specific interests in the Kai Iwi subdivision, which include supporting a cycle track to Mowhanau Beach and improvements to William Birch Park.”

Whanganui District Council chief executive, David Langford, encourages Kai Iwi subdivision residents to vote in the by-election. “Representative rural leadership in the Whanganui district relies on engagement from our rural community and, as a council, we need to hear about the issues and concerns of our rural residents in order to best serve them.

“This by-election is an opportunity for Kai Iwi residents to choose their preferred candidate to bring those concerns to the council, and I’d encourage all electors in the Kai Iwi subdivision to exercise their vote when they receive their voter packs.”

Voting papers will be mailed out to electors on Thursday, 15 June 2023 and voting will close at 12 noon on Friday, 7 July 2023.

SPECIAL VOTING ARRANGEMENTS

Special voting facilities for the by-election will be available at Whanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, Whanganui, during normal office hours between Thursday, 15 June 2023 and 12 noon on Friday, 7 July 2023.

For more by-election details, please contact:

Warwick Lampp, electoral officer
Call: 0800 666 048
Email: iro@electionz.com

Anna Palamountain, deputy electoral officer
Call: 06 349 0001
Email: elections@whanganui.govt.nz