Local elections 2022: Ōtorohanga District Council has region's most unopposed elected members

Ōtorohanga District Council has elected two councillors and four community board members unopposed. Photo / Supplied

Ōtorohanga has elected six council candidates unopposed which makes it the council with the most uncontested positions in the Waikato.

The six candidates have been elected for two councillor and four community board vacancies.

Current councillor Rodney Dow has been elected for the Kio Kio-Korakonui ward and Cathy Prendergast has been elected for the Wharepuhunga ward.

The other vacancies filled unopposed are on the Kawhia Community Board which is made up of one member for the Aotea Community Subdivision and three members for the Kāwhia Community Subdivision.

All four vacancies have been filled by current members, which are Geoff Good, Ken Briggs, Dave Walsh and Hinga Whiu.

Ōtorohanga mayoral candidate and current Kāwhia/Tihiroa ward councillor Kit Jeffries. Photo / Supplied

The race for the Ōtorohanga mayoralty is between current mayor Max Baxter and current Kāwhia/Tihiroa ward councillor Kit Jeffries.

For the two vacancies in the Ōtorohanga ward current councillor Katrina Christison, current Ōtorohanga Community Board member Peter Coventry and Steve Hughes put their names forward.

Current Kāwhia-Tihiroa ward councillors Kit Jeffries and Annette Williams are standing again for the two seats alongside James Mahara.

For the one vacancy in the Waipa ward, current Ōtorohanga Community Board member Neville Gadd and current councillor Roy Johnson have put their names forward.

Like other councils across the country, Ōtorohanga will implement a Māori ward this year. The Rangiātea Māori ward has two vacancies for which Donna Hemara, Gabrielle Morgan, Jaimee Tamaki, Wikitoria Tāne and Roy Willison have been nominated.

All current Ōtorohanga Community Board members are standing again for the four positions. Kat Brown-Merrin, Katrina Christison, Peter Coventry and Neville Gadd are standing alongside new candidates Tori Muller, Michelle Erikson and Jo Butcher.

Current Kiokio/Korakonui ward councillor Bryan Ferguson and Wharepuhunga ward councillor Robyn Klos are not standing again.

Current Ōtorohanga Mayor Max Baxter. Photo / Supplied