Auckland Council elections: Mayoral candidate numbers double overnight to 17

Auckland Council electoral officer Dale Ofsoske said there were 447 nominations for this year's local body elections. Photo / Supplied

The number of people running for mayor in Auckland has more than doubled since yesterday, with 17 in the running for Auckland Council's top job.

Nominations closed midday today for the 2016 local body elections and 447 candidates putting their hands up for the 170 positions.

One local board will go uncontested this year - with three candidates running for the three spots in Franklin's Waiuku subdivision.

And only one person - Bill Cashmore - is running for the Franklin ward's seat.

The number of candidates is down on previous Super City elections.

Electoral officer Dale Ofsoske said there 470 nominations in 2013, and 545 nominations at the first Super City election in 2010.

This year, there were 69 nominations for the 20 council positions across 13 wards.

As for the 21 local boards, there were 361 nominations for the 149 positions,

Ofsoske said there were 72 nominations for the 21 members of the region's three district health boards, and 54 nominations for the 35 members of the region's five licensing trusts.

Voting documents will be delivered to Auckland's 1,050,000 eligible voters from September 16.

The postal ballot closes at noon on October 8, with the results to be declared on October 13.

In 2013, Auckland ranked near the bottom in New Zealand for voter turnout at local body elections, with only 35.5 per cent of eligible voters turning out.

That was down from the 51 per cent turnout at the 2010 election.

Surveys have found the highest voter turnout was in the 70-plus age group, at 89 per cent, and the lowest was in the 18-29 age group, at 34 per cent.

The mayoral candidates

Mario Alupis, no affiliation
Aileen Austin, independent
Penny Bright, independent
Patrick Brown, Communist League
Tricia Cheel, Stop
Vic Crone, independent
Phil Goff, independent
David Hay, independent
Alezix Heneti, no affiliation
Adam John Holland, Auckland Legalise Cannabis
Stan Martin, independent
Binh Thanh Nguyen, independent
Phil O'Connor, Christians Against Abortion
John Palino, independent
Chloe Swarbrick, independent
Mark Thomas, independent
Wayne Young, no affiliation

The full list of nominees