Editorial: Stand and deliver, or vote and don't moan

It is unusually quiet, down at the rumour mill.

Far as we know, Messrs Mai (Whangarei) and Carter (Far North) will be taking a crack at a second term in office, come this 2016 local body election.

But there is little blowing in the wind in terms of who will stand against them.

Former mayoral candidate Warren Slater (Whangarei) says he won't be standing, preferring to run his ongoing accountability and integrity campaign from the sidelines and public gallery of the Whangarei District Council.

There is the usual talk about "cleanout" and "new brooms" being needed, and there is some sense in that.

But nominations for the 2016 local body elections have been slow.

This year's candidates need to file their nomination documents by noon on August 12 - next Friday.

As of Wednesday this week, nominations were: Kaipara District Council - three; Whangarei District Council, four; Far North District Council, four and Northland Regional Council, seven. In 2013, 167 candidates stood for the FNDC, WDC and NRC. And 127 of them put their names forward in the final week of the month-long nomination period. (KDC did not hold an election as it was run by Government-appointed commissioners.)

However, what is different this election, is the True Local publicity campaign underway encouraging people to stand. They say, if you don't vote, don't complain. And if you don't stand, well, it's not like you haven't been reminded of the opportunity. As for how effective the True Local campaign is, looks like we'll have to wait until 12pm on August 12 to find that one out.