Record drop in voter turnout raises concern

MORE VOTES: Even a friendly reminder from Solitaire Robertson's dog Bella wasn't enough to boost the voter return.

New Zealand needs to face up to a new local body voting system, successful South Wairarapa Council member Solitaire Robertson reckons.

Voter turnout plummeted to record lows in Wairarapa, echoing a national trend for lower voter turnout across New Zealand.

For the first time less than 50 per cent of eligible voters bothered to vote in Wairarapa's elections.

Ms Robertson, who supplied an image of her dog Bella working on the campaign trail, said she agreed with comments by Auckland Mayor Len Brown that electronic voting needed to be considered. "There will be people who still want to post their votes, but most people live in an age where technology rules."

"When I was doing my second mail drop on Thursday there were people saying, 'I have got to vote'."

She thinks people get their voting packets early in the post, but if they don't deal to them straight away, they get left until the last minute.

She also likes the idea of a polling day, like general elections.

She believes a lack of a mayoral race in Carterton and South Wairarapa might have accounted for a drop in voter numbers. "I will take the win, and thanks to the people who voted for me.

"But 45 per cent doesn't give you a lot of confidence.

"It would have been great if it was over 50 per cent.

"I mean, the services we offer, we're dealing with your money."