Howick voters getting an extra share of election days

Jami-Lee Ross. Photo / Herald on Sunday

The voters of Howick are going to the polls for the second time in a little over two months, this time to elect a new ward councillor on the Auckland Council.

The resignation of councillor Jami-Lee Ross, who won the Botany byelection early in March prompted by the resignation of National MP Pansy Wong, has drawn a field of six candidates.

The Howick byelection is shaping up as a contest without any burning issues and "election fatigue" could mean a low voter turnout.

Postal ballot papers will be delivered to about 92,000 electors in the Howick Ward from today, and they have until May 27 to vote.

Several voters said they will not be voting because they have had enough of elections. "It's just one election after another, and one more to come at the end of the year," said beautician Carly Miller, who has lived in the area for just over a year.

"To be honest ... my ballot papers will just be going in the bin."

Others said no real local issue was dominating the byelection, and they would be voting on "familiarity" of candidates.

Dick Quax, David Collings and Maggie Burrill were councillors on the now defunct Manukau City Council and Penny Bright, Ram Parkash and Wayne Young have been candidates in other elections, including the Auckland mayoralty, parliamentary and local body elections.

Mr Quax, who was edged out of a seat on the Auckland Council last year, said he had been campaigning as hard - if not harder - than he did in the last election.

"There's always going to be somewhat less interest in this election than there was in the one last October, there's no question about that," said Mr Quax, who is again standing on the right-leaning Citizens & Ratepayers ticket.

He is "quietly optimistic" about winning this time.

Mrs Burrill agreed that holding a "byelection after a byelection" was not likely to lead to a high voter turnout.

She said she was standing as an independent "because I don't like having to follow a party line and don't believe that party politics belong in local government".

Howick councillor Sharon Stewart said her gut feeling was that Mr Quax would win the byelection, but she was also picking up a lot of support for Mrs Burrill, particularly among female voters.

Ms Stewart said it was a shame to have another byelection costing $150,000.

"If you stand [for council] you should stay for the long haul."