Moemoea Mohowhenua, also known as Benjamin Nathan, is challenging Jason Smith for the Kaipara mayorality. Photo / John Stone
Moemoea Mohowhenua, also known as Benjamin Nathan, is challenging Jason Smith for the Kaipara mayorality. Photo / John Stone
All three sitting mayors in Northland and a string of long-time councillors look to be vying for another term at the upcoming local body elections.
The provisional list of candidates has been released following the closing of nominations last Friday. The official declaration of candidates for Whangārei will be on Wednesday, August 21.
Postal votes will open between September 20 and October 12, with the latter being the election day.
Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai wants a third term and is being challenged by lawyer Tony Savage and road-sealing campaigner Alex Wright, who is also contesting the Hikurangi-Coastal ward.
Alex Wright is challenging Sheryl Mai and Tony Savage to be the next mayor of Whangārei. Photo / John Stone
Incumbents Greg Martin and Anna Murphy, together with Shelley Anderson, Marie Minhinnick and Daron Turner, are the other candidates fighting for two seats in that ward.
Bream Bay councillor Shelley Deeming is taking on the likes of Ken Couper, Peter Grant, Olli Krollman, Tom (Tamihana) Paki and Iain Robertson.
Another long-term Bream Bay councillor and former deputy mayor Phil Halse will this year contest the Okara ward, which has the highest number of candidates out of all wards.
Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai is seeking re-election to the top job for a third term. Photo / Supplied
Contesting alongside sitting councillors Vince Cocurullo and Sue Glen are rail advocate Albie Barr, Steve Capper, environment campaigner Nicholas Hunter Connop, Tony Gill, Fiona Green, Glen McMillan, Melanie Payne, social advocate Carol Peters, Hayley Read and Tim Robinson.
Three seats now occupied by former policeman Gavin Benney, Crichton Christie and Tricia Cutforth are up for grabs in the Denby ward.
Jayne Golightly and Shaquille Shortland are the other two candidates.
Just two candidates— Sid Diamond and Simon Reid— are vying for one seat in the Mangakahia-Maungatapere ward.
Lawyer Tony Savage is one of three Whangārei mayoral candidates in the upcoming local body elections. Photo / Supplied
Dave Blackley, Don Lake and incumbent Greg Innes will compete for one seat in the Whangarei Heads ward.
In Kaipara, mayor Dr Jason Smith has again thrown his hat into the ring and his only challenger is Moemoea Mohoawhenua, previously known as Penehamine Nathan or Benjamin Nathan, who infamously smashed the America's Cup in 1997.
Kaipara mayor Jason Smith is vying for a second term with a strong focus on improving roading infrastructure growing food supply. Photo / John Stone
Otamatea ward councillor Jonathan Larsen and deputy mayor Peter Wethey will be elected unopposed in the Kaiwaka-Mangawhai ward.
In Dargaville, incumbent Karen Joyce-Paki, Brian McEwing, Ash Nayyar, Marnie Stewart, Jay Tane and Erin Wilson-Collins will compete for two seats.
Victoria del la Varis-Woodcock, Josephine Nathan and David Wills will fight for two seats in the West Coast–Central ward.
In the Otamatea ward, which has two seats, sitting councillor Anna Curnow, Craig Jepson, Wayne Linton, Ian Miller and Mark Vincent are the candidates.
The provisional list of candidates for the Northland Regional Council election has been released.
NRC chairman Bill Shepherd, former Māori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels, Marty Robinson and Jocelyn Yeoman will contest the Coastal North constituency.
Candidates in the Coastal Central constituency are Maureen Adair, Paul Dimery, Maggie Buxton, Jeroen Jongejans, Amy MacDonald and Colin Peter Thew, while Coastal South will be contested by David Lourie and Rick Stolwerk.
Justin Blaikie will stand in Hokianga-Kaikohe, Penny Smart in Kaipara, Mike Finlayson and long-time firefighter Colin Kitchen in Te Hiku.
Whangārei Urban candidates are John Bain, Jack Craw and David Sinclair.
