KEY POINTS:
Auckland had the lowest voter turn-out in this year's school boards of trustees elections but the most competition for places.
A report released yesterday showed 24 per cent of voting papers were returned in Auckland, compared with 90 per cent in the highest region, the Chatham Islands - where there are only three schools and 13 per cent of the returns were invalid.
In Otago, 37 per cent of papers were returned, while Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and Northland all had 33 per cent.
The Ministry of Education report noted the average rate of return of 28 per cent overall was significantly lower than the 2004 local authority elections rate of 46 per cent.
Competition for places on boards of trustees was highest in Auckland, with more than two-thirds of the 447 schools having more candidates than there were positions.
Just 8 per cent of schools in Auckland had fewer candidates than positions in the elections, which are held every three years.
School Trustees Association president Lorraine Kerr said it was a plus that more than a third of candidates were parent representatives standing for re-election.
