The agency pointed out a considerable number of council seats across the country have no candidates, with only three, now two, days left before nominations close. The 2019 local body elections had the lowest number of nominations ever recorded and this election could have even fewer.
Districts such as Rotorua, South Waikato and Rangitikei, have less than one nomination across multiple community boards. As of yesterday, the Mackenzie District Council, which has 19 vacancies, had three confirmed nominations.
As controversy swirls around co-governance, one might have thought those with strong views might be motivated to get to the table to be a part of the discussion. Not so, it seems.
Hastings District councillor Bayden Barber of Ngāti Kahungunu notes it's the first time the council has had Māori wards in local government and he had hoped for more interest. Despite working for the past 18 months to educate people about running for council, nominations remain thin.
Local government in New Zealand consists of 78 local, regional and unitary councils, consisting of about 1600 elected members. These members make decisions around 11 per cent of public spending, 3.8 per cent of New Zealand's Gross Domestic Product.
Despite the responsibility, standing for election cannot be simpler. To be a candidate, a person must be a New Zealand citizen and enrolled as a parliamentary elector (this also means you must be 18 or older). Candidates need only be nominated by two electors from that district or region.
Public service at local governance level is healthily renumerated. Community board members earn up to $47,000 a year. Local and regional councillors usually earn between $13,000 and $108,000, but are paid more for extra responsibilities. Most mayors and regional council chairs earn between $52,000 and $190,000.
The lack of interest so far may be due to a familiar tactic in local elections, to declare at the last minute. Even so, Local Government New Zealand warns these current expressions of interest are far below that of this time at previous elections. The concern is particularly at the lack of nominations for councillors and community board members.
Civic Trust Auckland secretary Audrey van Ryn wrote this week: "Our local body representatives are the people who play a part in shaping the places where we live, and we can have a say in not only who they are but the decisions that they make."
As it stands, we face having our places shaped by the decisions of a very select few - perhaps by adult entertainers or entrepreneurs ensconced in Orlando.
The nominations period closes at noon, Friday, August 12.
