KEY POINTS:
Aucklanders are "sleepwalking backwards" to John Banks because of Dick Hubbard's "average first-time performance", claims another mayoral candidate, Alex Swney.
As the mayoral race enters the final two weeks, Mr Banks is in a strong position to wrestle back the mayoral title he lost three years ago. A Herald-DigiPoll last weekend had Mr Swney a distant third on 7.2 per cent, with Mr Banks on 43.7 per cent and Mr Hubbard on 35.2 per cent.
Mr Swney said the poll was a wake-up call and urged people to vote. As of yesterday, 10 per cent of postal votes in Auckland City had been cast.
Longtime council watcher Graham Bush said the situation was not hopeless for Mr Hubbard.
