Election vote could be biggest in Bay history

The amalgamation vote could be the biggest in Hawke's Bay history.

More than a third of the roll for the Hawke's Bay amalgamation countdown are expected to have voted by the weekend as the three-week poll heads towards being possibly the biggest election vote in Hawke's Bay history.

According to latest figures, the 32,086 papers returned by mid-morning yesterday represented 28.93 per cent of those on the roll.

Almost 34 per cent of the Napier roll had voted, which compared with just over 24 per cent in the Hastings District. Napier votes outnumbered those from Hastings by 1598, despite Hastings having 10,298 more people on the roll.

The number of voting papers received from Napier, Central Hawke's Bay and Wairoa was 50.3 per cent greater than the number from Hastings, which compared with 47 per cent by late Tuesday.

Vote returns were well ahead of the comparable stage of the 2013 local body election polling process, which ended with 52.51 per cent of those on the roll in Napier voting, and turnouts of 51.05 per cent in the Hastings District, 54.5 per cent in Central Hawke's Bay and 62 per cent in Wairoa.

By yesterday 580 papers had been returned, not completed, marked with "gone, no address".

People who are eligible to vote and who have not received papers should phone 0800 666 033.

For or Against

* The vote is to decide on a Local Government Commission proposal that the Napier, Hastings, CHB and Wairoa District councils and the Hawke's Bay Regional Council amalgamate. Voters have the choice of "For" or "Against".

* Almost 111,000 people are eligible to vote in the poll. Chief returning officer Warwick Lampp reaffirmed yesterday that postal voting should be done no later than next Thursday, to ensure papers are received by the deadline of midday the following Tuesday, September 15.

* Voters must be aged 18 or over at the time the poll closes and be resident in Hawke's Bay or absentee ratepayers.

* Special votes can be made at offices of the councils, where those not using the postal
service can place their votes in secure boxes up to the time the poll closes