Twenty-eight people have thrown their hats in the ring as candidates in the upcoming South Waikato District Council elections. Photo / Stephen Parker
Twenty-eight people have thrown their hats in the ring as candidates in the upcoming South Waikato District Council elections. Photo / Stephen Parker
The run for the South Waikato mayoralty will be a head-to-head race between current Tokoroa councillor Arama Ngapo and current Putaruru councillor Gary Petley.
Meanwhile, the positions of Tīrau ward councillor on the South Waikato District Council and the four Tīrau Community Board members have been elected unopposed.
A total of 28 people have put their names forward for the 11 positions available on the council and four vacancies on the community board.
When nominations closed on Friday, two nominations for mayor, five nominations for Putāruru ward councillor, one nomination for Tīrau ward councillor, 16 nominations for Tokoroa ward councillor and four nominations for the Tīrau Community Board had been received.
Current Tīrau Community Board chair Kerry Purdy was the only nominee for the Tīrau ward councillor as current Tīrau councillor and community board member Peter Schulte is not standing again.
The new Tirau Community Board members will be Gaby Bond, Graham Singers, Jessica Wanden and current member Kevin Slater. Current board members Sharon Burling-Claridge and Christine Brasell are not standing again.
For the Putaruru ward, Marie Farrell and Tracey Morgan are standing alongside current councillors Hans Nelis, Gary Petley and Sandra Wallace.
Current councillors Hamish Daine, Marin Glucina, Alex Jansen, Thomas Lee and Bill Machen are running again for the Tokoroa ward alongside Sarah Allen, Julius Daniel Mata, Rebekah Garner, Tony Leo Herlihy, Arthur Harold Hiscock, Shadna Devi Nand, Shaun Parkinson, Daniel Patterson, James Rowe, Maria Te Kanawa and Josiah Teokotai.
The positions of Tirau ward councillor and the four Tirau Community Board members are elected unopposed. Photo / Bayleys
South Waikato District Council deputy electoral officer Vikki Moore says the mayor, councillors and community board members have a leadership role in the South Waikato towns and district and represent the views of the community.
"Local government and local democracy are fundamental to our society ... It is good to see a range of candidates of different ages, ethnicities and backgrounds to ensure our council represents the diversity of our community. Now it's over to the voters."
The council strongly encourages voters to participate in the election process, find out about the candidates, attend the Meet the Candidate events and read the profile booklet that comes out with voting papers which will be sent out from September 16.
Candidate statements will be available at the council's website from August 29.
Last triennium only 36 per cent of people in the South Waikato that were eligible to vote actually cast their vote.
"As a community that is engaged with its local council, this figure can and should be higher," the council says.
