Pauline Evans Photo / File
Four people have already won seats on Far North community boards, seven weeks out from local government elections.
The four - ranging from an eco-lodge owner to a puzzle maker and a current board member - have been declared elected after the number of nominations matched the number of seats up for election in their subdivisions.
The first winner of a seat on the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board is Kaeo man Bruce Mills, who has held on to the Whangaroa subdivision unopposed for the second time running. Mr Mills said he was pleased to be re-elected, even if he didn't have to campaign for the seat.
"I'm fully committed to carry on with the work I do for the area. I take it seriously and I know I do a good job," he said.
Further east, three people have won seats on the Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board. They are Pauline Evans, who was elected unopposed to the North Hokianga subdivision; and Garry Clarke of Rawene and Louis Toorenburg, who won the two South Hokianga seats.
Mrs Evans co-owns the Tree House, an eco-lodge near Kohukohu, and stood for the Greens in the last national elections. She is a key player in the Hokianga Tourism Association.
Rawene-based Mr Clarke is the founder of the Hokianga Kyokushin Karate Club while Mr Toorenburg owns the Labyrinth, a woodworking studio, maze and puzzle museum at Waiotemarama.
In all but a few areas the number of nominations is up on the last election in 2010. The Kaitaia subdivision of the Te Hiku board is especially hotly contested, with eight people chasing three seats.
The full list of nominations is as follows. Incumbent members are shown with an asterisk; all are independent/unaffiliated unless otherwise stated:
Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board
Three nominations for one seat representing the Kawakawa-Moerewa subdivision (compared with one at the last election in 2010): Johnson Davis*, Kathy Dunn, Margaret Wikaire.
Six nominations for three seats in the Kerikeri subdivision (five in 2010): Florence Annison*, Harko Brown*, Sandy Myhre, Martin Robinson, Douglas Turner*, Jerry Twigden.
Two nominations for one seat in the Paihia subdivision (one in 2010): Paul Gorringe, Belinda Ward*.
Three nominations for one seat in the Russell-Opua subdivision (same as 2010): Peter Clark, Terry Greening*, Gray Phillips.
One nomination for one seat in the Whangaroa subdivision (same as 2010): Bruce Mills*.
Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board
Five nominations for three seats in the Kaikohe subdivision (four in 2010): Mike Edmonds, Shaun Reilly, John Schollum*, Win Stephens*, Kelly van Gaalen.
One nomination for one seat in the North Hokianga subdivision (two in 2010): Pauline Evans.
Two nominations for two seats in the South Hokianga subdivision (same as 2010): Garry Clarke, Louis Toorenburg.
Te Hiku Community Board
Two nominations for one seat in the Doubtless Bay subdivision (one in 2010): Clara Lugnet*, Mike Ward.
Eight nominations for three seats in the Kaitaia subdivision (five in 2010): Ivan Alvrez (Look Up Te Hiku), Adele Gardner, Ngawai Herewini, John Kenderdine, William Francis Pomare, David Senior*, Yvonne Smith*, Rosanne Taylor (Look Up Te Hiku).
Two nominations for one seat in the North Cape subdivision (two in 2010): Murray Rae, Willy van der Sluis*.
Two nominations for one seat in the Whatuwhiwhi subdivision (one in 2010): Lawrie Atkinson* (Whatuwhiwhi Residents and Ratepayers), Petrina Hodgson.
The seven mayoral and 33 council candidates in the Far North were listed in Monday's paper. The votes will be tallied on October 12.