Buckle up, Waikato, the race for a seat on one of the 12 councils in our region is on and it's now up to you to decide who you're going to vote for in your area.
Figuring out what your candidates all stand for can seem like quite a big task, but there are a few tools that can help you to make an informed decision.
There are numerous candidate events being hosted throughout the region where you can meet the candidates and can ask them the questions that matter to you. There are also some websites that give you a great overview.
Hamilton City Council chief executive Lance Vervoort points out that in the city there will be at least six fresh faces at the council table following these elections.
This is because four current city councillors are standing down and there will be two new Māori Ward councillors.
"So make sure you take some time to think about who you want to represent you.
"Voting is important, but it's also exciting."
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene says it is great to see that more people have put their hand up to run in this year's election, compared to the last local election in 2019.
"But we've heard from many voters that they don't feel like they actually know enough about the candidates standing," Freeman-Greene says.
She says local body elections usually have a lower voter turnout (about 40 per cent) compared with central government elections which typically get about 80 per cent voter turnout.
"We need to do a much better job of making local elections more accessible and engaging," Freeman-Greene says.
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene. Photo / Mark Tantrum
For Hamiltonians, the official council website yourcityelections.co.nz is dedicated to the upcoming election and a good place to start finding out more about the local candidates.
You are able to see all candidates and their profiles and find some of their answers to tough questions regarding the city.
Each candidate has a page where you can find their top three priorities for Hamilton, their vision for the city in 10 years' time and what qualities they think will help us thrive.
You can also check which ward you will vote in and, since Hamilton will switch to the STV voting system this election, yourcityelections.co.nz also has an online tool where you can practise filling out the voting paper.
Another helpful tool is policy.nz from The Spinoff. The Spinoff is an independent media group that was founded in 2014 and focuses on modern coverage of current affairs and pop culture.
They are funded by members and partners like Kiwibank, the University of Otago, Creative New Zealand, and New Zealand on Air.
The Spinoff has asked candidates questions on a range of topics, from rates and revenue to transport and recreation.
You can browse responses by topic, and you can hide candidate names to just focus on what they have to say.
Hamilton City Council chief executive Lance Vervoort.
There is also a new website electionwatch.org.nz created by Hamilton writer Geoff Lewis, who has invited Hamilton City Council candidates and Hamilton candidates for the Waikato Regional Council to share their information and answer some questions.
Lewis, a freelance journalist, says the website allows candidates to introduce themselves and asks a list of questions which he describes as "from simple to searching".
"The past few years have been tumultuous for local government - our city, district, and regional councils. Experienced politicians and new political contenders alike are faced with challenging issues," says Lewis.
He urges the public to check out the site here and encourages candidates to get involved here.
A lot of councils also have a section on candidates and elections on their website, or you can go to the candidates directly since most of them have a website or social media presence.
There are also numerous meet the candidates' events running throughout the region, a great opportunity for you to ask them about what matters most to you or what you think is important for the city.
Before you dive into what each candidate thinks, you might want to think of what your stance is on key topics.
All councils released a Pre-Election Report which outlines the key challenges and opportunities for the city or district going forward.
If you are good to go and have made up your mind, drop your completed voting papers (which will be sent out from September 16 to 21) in the post between September 16 and October 8.
