Vote figures low as of yesterday

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

With just hours left to vote in the 2019 local body elections, more than 20,000 people here had still not voted.

Voting closed at midday today but as of yesterday just 12,350 people (37.99 percent of registered voters) had done so.

That percentage was lower than in both the 2016 and 2013 local elections, when voter returns at the same time of the election were 41.9 percent and 39.6 percent respectively.

However, historically there have been large jumps between the penultimate day’s returns and the final turn-out. Final voting percentages were 48.5 percent in 2016 and 48.3 percent in 2013. That 2013 turn-out percentage was down from 54.8 percent in 2010.

Voting returns yesterday:

Gisborne Ward, 9025 (37.4 percent),

Matakaoa-Patutahi Ward, 475 (49.1

percent),

Tawhiti-Uawa Ward, 650 (36.1 percent),

Waipaoa Ward, 850 (37.3 percent).

¦ To keep up to date with results from today’s election, check the Gisborne District Council website, and the Gisborne Herald website, which will also carry initial reaction.