Voting opens

VOTING PAPERS START ARRIVING FROM TOMORROW. Here's what you need to know:
These elections are really important. Not just do you get to choose the people who make decisions about things that affect our daily lives, our environment, the climate and our communities, this election there is also a REFERENDUM about whether we should keep or remove the Māori Ward
Council elections are done by postal voting. If you are enrolled to vote, your voting papers will arrive between 9-22 September.
If you're not yet enrolled to vote or haven't updated your address, you can still cast a Special Vote until 10 October, by visiting the South Taranaki District Council’s Administration
Building or calling the electoral office on 0800 922 822.
TRC elections use the FPP (First Past the Post) system. When you vote in an FPP election, you tick the name of the candidates(s) you most prefer, up to the number of vacancies. There are two South Taranaki seats on the Taranaki Regional Council, and three candidates. If you only like one candidate, then it is best to only vote for that candidate! If you want me to get elected, the best thing you could do is to ONLY vote for me for the TRC, and none of the other two candidates.
For the Māori Ward referendum, you will be asked whether to KEEP or remove the Māori Ward. It has already been in place for 3 years, but central government is forcing us to have a referendum on it. The result of the referendum will be binding for 6 years from 2028. NO STRESS, VOTE YES
Make sure you remind all your friends, whānau and colleagues to vote! But voting is never enough. We need to be active in our communities and organise for change.
Voter turnout in local government elections here is only around 45% - which is why often the Council elected often doesn't really reflect the community it represents.
Voting closes at 12pm on Saturday 11 October. You can drop your vote in one of the orange ballot boxes at Council facilities, or make sure it is in the post box at least 7 days before the deadline. Finding a letterbox to post your envelop seems to be getting trickier every year. If you haven't sent mail in a while (there are plenty of youth in our community who have never sent or received mail in their entire life!), there is at least one in every town in South Taranaki. You can also drop your voting papers at EVERY library across South Taranaki.
Photo of me posting my vote for the election three years ago.