Drop-in centre for election conversations
Published on 28 July 2022
Whanganui District Council has opened a drop-in election centre for people to find out more about standing and voting in the upcoming local elections.
The election centre at Community House on Ridgway Street is open from 10.00am until 2.00pm on weekdays. The council elections team will also be at Trafalgar Square or the Whanganui River Markets on alternate Saturdays to answer questions and encourage the community to think about standing for council.
Whanganui District Council staff member and one of the faces of the council’s election campaign, Christina Emery, says the purpose of being out and about in the community is to make sure information is as accessible as possible, especially to those who might not have participated in an election before.
“People are welcome to come and chat about what’s involved in the elections process, find out about standing for council or just to check they are correctly enrolled.
“We’ve had a lot of really interesting conversations so far and we’ve only been open a week. We’ve got a bright, comfortable space right in the entrance of Community House. Just look for the orange flags out front on Ridgway Street, you can’t miss us.”
Deputy Electoral Officer, Kate Barnes, says those interested in standing can come along to an information session in the Council Chamber at 101 Guyton Street at 5.30pm on Monday, 1 August.
“Being a councillor is an amazing opportunity but potentially can be daunting, particularly if you’re just starting out on your political journey. This session will cover off all the essential information about the election process, and what it’s like to be part of the council.
“Bring your questions, and if you can’t attend in person the event will also be live-streamed via the council’s Facebook page.”
For everything you need to know about being a candidate in the local elections, have a look at the handbook at the Vote Whanganui website votewhanganui.nz
Candidate nominations opened on Friday, 15 July and close at 12 noon on Friday, 12 August. Voting in the local elections will take place from 16 September to 8 October.
Once all nominations are in on 12 August, voters will be able to find out more about candidates and their priorities for Whanganui on votewhanganui.nz
KEY DATES
- July 15 – Candidate nominations open
- August 1 – Candidate information evening held at Council Chamber
- August 12, at 12 noon – Candidate nominations close
- August 17 – The full list of candidates standing in the election will be announced
- September 16 – Voting papers will be sent out to enrolled voters between now and September 21
- October 8 – Voting closes and initial results will be published later on in the day. Final results are available between this date and October 13.