KEY POINTS:
Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard is calling for a shorter and sharper election period with voting returns pointing to a record low turnout in the country's biggest city.
Mr Hubbard yesterday said seven weeks from when nominations closed, including three weeks for postal voting, was too long.
Four weeks total, including one week to 10 days for voting, would make for a shorter and sharper campaign. "It would make issues and debate more intense and as a result would engage the population more."
Near the halfway point for postal voting, it looks like fewer than 40 per cent of registered voters will participate at the local body elections in Auckland City.
Voting is also down on 2004 figures in Manukau, Waitakere, Papakura, Franklin and Rodney.
Since postal voting started with a 60 per cent turnout in 1986, the turnout has trended downwards in Auckland City. It dropped to 42.8 per cent in 2001 before recovering to 48.4 per cent in 2004.
Former mayor John Banks, who is leading the mayoral race in the Herald-DigiPoll survey, said there was not the same level of kinetic energy compared with the 2001 campaign.
