The next Local Elections are 14 months away — October 12, 2019 to be precise.
But it is now when those interested enough will be starting to ponder whether to put their hands up, for the jobs of Mayor, Councillors and chairs of the local authorities around the country.
This process is guided by issues, and it is there where something may be missing. The local political landscape has been more a series of occasional popping grenades in comparison with the battlefields dominated by such issues as amalgamation and water storage dams of recent elections.
Water was an issue in 2016, particularly in Hastings where the Havelock North crisis was still unfolding, and it's a sure bet water will be on the list across Hawke's Bay, as the region ponders whether the artesian taonga gift to which we have felt so self-entitled is a thing of the past or something merely concealed by a tipful of caution or disguised by the odour from chlorined saviour.
Other than that, it's difficult to predict what will be the issues as nomination start pouring in late next winter.