Editorial: Last day for Person of the Year

Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel was recently announced Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2015

As most of you know, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel was recently announced Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2015.

The German leader came in ahead of seven other finalists.

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was named runner-up, which has furrowed a few brows. Apparently, Time's Person of the Year traditionally honours the individual or group that has had the biggest impact - whether positive or negative.

Many will say the most deserved finalist won.

Merkel was selected for guiding Germany to lead the way in welcoming European migrants, committing to accepting 800,000 this year, far more than any other European country. Time also tipped its hat to the way she managed the economic crisis over the summer and her continuing handling of the terrorism threat plaguing Europe.

Her deeds were heroic, for as one commentator put it: "2015 was a great year for terrible people."

The criteria for Hawke's Bay Today's Person of the Year, we're happy to state, are a little less inclusive. That is, unlike some on Time's shortlist, those who deal in misery and bigotry won't make the cut.

We'd prefer to end the year on a high note.

The judges will include this writer, editor Andrew Austin, Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri, Tukituki MP Craig Foss and Napier MP Stuart Nash.

While our issues are less global in scale, we too deserve the right to be able to hail a local high-flyer's leadership.

You have until noon today to email your nomination to news@hbtoday.co.nz.

As of last night, we had 24 nominations. Help us sign the year off in style and nominate someone you think deserves this mantle.