“We still have seven seats on offer until midday1 August.”
Apparently, ahead of this year’s local-body elections, it seems some councils are needing to recruit councillors.
Similarly too, a few hours north it could be a one man show at Wairoa’s council table, where as of one week ago, Jeremy Harker was the only candidate to officially register his nomination for that district’s elections in October.
Dale Ofsoske, electoral officer for Wairoa, said it wasn’t ideal.
Wairoa mayor Craig Little and Deputy Mayor Denise Eaglesome-Karekare have already announced they are running for mayor, but neither has registered their official nomination.
“People tend to leave things until the last minute. I’m not sure why, perhaps human nature or a strategic move,” Ofsoske said.
Strategies and last-minutes aside, what’s curbed the 2025 enthusiasm?
If this country’s long-lamented voter apathy is partnered with candidate apathy, then we’re in trouble.
As Budge reminded us, electoral law in New Zealand states that if there is only one nomination per seat, that seat is then filled by the person uncontested. If there aren’t enough nominations, then a by-election will be held, which is funded by the ratepayers of that district.
So what’s behind the candidacy cooling?
Could sky-rocketing rates be to blame?
Never before have they invited such contempt from those who pay them.
Without any clear solution, would-be candidates are understandably wary of being put in the position to either inflict further pain to facilitate growth, or opt for serious trade offs. Both scenarios raise the ire of communities.
Paradoxically, councils’ relevancy is waning when they’ve never been more relevant.
Maybe we’ll see a different type of candidate emerge.
Traditionally those who put their names forward are a broad church.
Some are lured by power, some want to supplement their income, some are simply officious, some possess long-held civic grudges while some simply have an unnatural liking of committees.
Of course, some genuinely want to pay it forward, some are battlers in the best sense and some work incredibly long hours to improve their community.
We need more to put their hands up - preferably of the latter ilk.
If we’re at a stage where could-be councillors need to be wooed by the very institution they’re meant to want to serve, then that shakes the faith a little.
Sign up to the Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
