KEY POINTS:
Mayoral hopeful Megan Woods enlisted the help of former Labour heavyweight Dame Ann Hercus yesterday as she took to the streets to secure some last-minute votes.
The pair handed out flowers and flyers to lunchtime shoppers in City Mall, encouraging them to vote in Saturday's election.
Dame Ann, who was also a United Nations ambassador and TVNZ board member, has also backed Dr Woods financially, donating $1000 to her election campaign.
"I support Megan because she would be an effective and talented mayor," said Dame Ann.
"She is a very intelligent person and open in her dealings, which is an important characteristic."
Dame Ann declined to comment on Dr Woods' mayoral rival, Bob Parker.
"My support is for Megan," she said.
Yesterday Dr Woods also revealed that central city Labour MP Tim Barnett and Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton and his wife Carole had also made $1000 donations to her campaign.
Mr Barnett said he was backing Dr Woods because she had the vision, energy, policies and team support with 2021 to provide what the city needed.
Last week The Star conducted a phone and street poll and found 41 per cent of people thought Mr Parker would win the mayoral election.
Fourteen per cent of those polled thought Dr Woods would win. However 25 per cent of people spoken to were undecided.
As at 5pm on Monday 24.24 per cent of voters had returned their ballot papers, compared with 25.45 per cent in the 2004 election. It is expected that the final voter turnout will be below the 38 per cent return in the 2004 election.
Despite the low turnout to date, Dr Woods said she would carry on with her "grassroots" campaigning until the polls closed on Saturday, door knocking and meeting with community groups.
"I think it's close. Very close. That's what I'm picking up in the malls and streets. I can win," she said.
In contrast, Mr Parker's campaign was beginning to wind down. "I'll be keeping it pretty low-profile until the election. It's right in the closing stages of the campaign," he said.
"I've just been spending a lot of time, when I've got spare time, thanking different people for supporting me during the campaign."
Mr Parker will spend the next three days catching up with friends and family who have supported his campaign.
"On Saturday I will be working in Akaroa around midday. It's the Akaroa School jubilee and I will be helping to open that."
Scrutineers will start counting votes after polls close at midday on Saturday.
Preliminary results are expected to be published on the city council website by 5pm.
Chief electoral officer Max Robertson said the new mayor would be officially appointed after the results were published on or about October 20.
Both Mr Parker and Dr Woods had parties planned for Saturday night - but only time would tell who would be celebrating.
"Two of my three sons will be in Christchurch - Dan and Nicholas, who is arriving from Perth, so we will have a family "do" on Saturday afternoon and then they will be with me for either a celebration or commiseration, depending on the decision of the community," Mr Parker said.
Dr Woods said 2021 had planned a post-election party at the Woolston Club. She said whatever the result, it would be a celebration party.
- CHRISTCHURCH STAR
