Editorial: 1000 votes wasted in Whangarei election

Angela Gill (top left) had to pull out of the 2016 local body elections after confusion around her eligibility, but still received 1069 from voters unaware of her withdrawal. PHOTO/NORTHERN ADVOCATE

It's a reflection of the weird and wonderful world of local body politics that a candidate forced to withdraw from an election still got more than 1000 votes.

And in the most competitive voting ward in Whangarei, as well.

Go Whangarei candidate Angela Gill was able to vote in the 2016 local body election because she is a permanent resident of New Zealand.

But because her citizenship paperwork had not been rubber stamped at the time she was nominated as a candidate, the rules dictate that she can vote, but cannot be voted for.

That's harsh.

It's not the only quirk that this wee conundrum threw up - after Mrs Gill's withdrawal Go Whangarei continued to promote her as a candidate.

She was featured on election hoardings as part of a Go Whangarei Okara quartet, and continued to be promoted on the team's website.

We'll never know if this confused voters, but there were definitely 1069 voters who had not read news coverage of Mrs Gill's withdrawal, or seen the public notice that the Electoral Office placed in local media, thereby fulfilling its legal obligation.

In a crowded ward with 17 candidates vying for four counsellor positions, those 1000-plus votes that Mrs Gill received become important.

Especially when the competition for the fourth position was hot, with four candidates coming within 90 votes of each other.

Out of all the lessons to be learned, the biggest is around tidying up confusing rules that allow a person to influence an election by voting, but prevent them from being voted for. What's the difference?

■ For the record, the Okara Ward (four councillors) results were: 1) Vince Cocurullo, 2551; 2) Cherry Hermon, 2474; 3) Sue Glen, 2246; 4) Stuart Bell, 1896; 5) Chris Leitch, 1833; 6) Brian McLachlan, 1827; 7) Ash Holwell. 1806; 8) Brent Mawson, 1491; 9) Kay Brittenden, 1420; 10) Chrissi McLeod, 1311; 11) Deborah Harding, 1118; 12) Greg Shipton, 1089; Angela, Gill (nomination cancelled), 1069; 13) Wilz Leonard, 977; 14) Chris Carey, 603; 15) Adam Farrell, 589; 16) Greg Weaver, 477; 17) Tony Gill, 371.