Ballot boxes are on the move this year to help Northlanders vote in the local government elections.
Northland’s biggest local election voting roadie campaign kicks off this week as mobile ballot boxes are taken into some of the region’s most remote locations.
Voting ballot box roadies to more than 180 mostly far-flung locations began in the Far North on Wednesday and will begin in Kaipara next weekend.
Thousands of kilometres will be travelled and more than 100 destinations will be visited.
The Far North roadies began with visits to Panguru, Māngonui and Waipapa on Wednesday.
Ninety visits will involve the Far North District Council (FNDC) taking ballot boxes to more than 80 locations across its rohe.
Kaipara District Council (KDC) is taking mobile ballot boxes to 21 remote locations around its district for the first time.
KDC chief executive Jasin Marris said the mobile voting locations were an important tool to make voting as easy and as accessible as possible for the community.
“We recognise Kaipara is a massive rural district so our trained teams are heading out to some of the more remote areas and can support community members to enrol, special vote or drop off completed voting papers,” Marris said.
Whangārei District Council is doing its biggest, more urban, roadie version and taking a ballot box to voters in its mobile library van to more than 80 locations from Monday.
Northland Regional Council voters will be accommodated on these roadies as electors’ voting papers cover their local district and regional councils.
The mobile ballot boxes are available in addition to postal votes and boxes at a range of fixed locations, including council offices.
The Far North’s 48,458 voters are spread across 7324sq km, where population densities are as low as 6.9 per sq km.
Kaipara’s 18,327 voters are spread across 3117sq km, with a population density of 8.6 per sq km, compared with New Zealand’s average of 20 people per sq km.
Far North ballot boxes will be taken on their hīkoi via a trio of hired campervans in which people will cast their vote.
Each of the council’s Te Hiku, Bay of Islands-Whangaroa and Kaikohe-Hokianga wards has its own campervan. These will be swapped with FNDC vehicles during weekends.
The most northern visit of the roadies will involve FNDC going to Te Hāpua this weekend. The settlement on the shores of Pārengarena Harbour, with around 220 people, is an hour’s drive from Kaitāia.
FNDC acting chief executive Ruben Garcia said the ballot boxes were trialled on a smaller scale for the first time at the 2022 local elections.
Results had been positive and the scheme was being significantly expanded this year, Garcia said.
The ballot box roadies aimed to reduce voting barriers and help anybody wanting to enrol or cast a special vote.
Garcia would not say how much the FNDC mobile ballot boxes tour was costing or where the money was coming from, but said it was within budget and on target.
The FNDC ballot boxes will be making around 30 different appearances across each of the council’s Te Hiku, Bay of Islands-Whangaroa and Kaikohe-Hokianga wards.
“The Far North district is very large and many of our communities live more than 10km away from a Post Shop or service centre,” Garcia said.
“In order to keep access to voting equitable, hardly reached [remote] communities are being prioritised as destinations,” he said.
The Northland roadies will visit marae, rugby clubs, sports halls, schools, markets and other community-led events across the district.
He said FNDC was using hired campervans and council-owned vehicles to deliver its ballot box tour.
Garcia said the tours were part of the council seeking to promote the local elections, as well as how to enrol and vote.
FNDC had a 41% voter turnout at the 2022 local elections, compared with the national average of 45%.
Far North itinerary:
Te Kao – Pōtahi Marae, today, 10am-3pm; local store, Wednesday, 10am-3pm
Kaitāia – digital hub, September 25, 10am-3pm; town centre, September 26, 10am-3pm; market, September 27, 10am-3pm
Te Hāpua – Sunday, 10am-3pm, and Monday, 10am-noon
Kaimaumau – Tuesday, 10am-1pm
Pukenui – 4139 Far North Rd, Thursday, 10am-3pm; Houhora Big Game and Sport Fishing Club, September 19, 10am-3pm
Mangōnui – Mangōnui Hall, September 20, 10am-1pm; Oruaiti School, October 9, 2pm-4pm
Doubtless Bay – 9 Coopers Drive, September 21, 10am-3pm; Cable Bay, SH10, September 24, noon-6pm
Ahipara – 250 Ahipara Rd, September 22, 10am-3pm; Roma Marae, September 23, 10am-1pm
Whatuwhiwhi – Karikari community hall, September 28, 10am-4pm
Peria – September 29 and 30, 10am-1pm
Awanui – Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rangi Āniwaniwa, October 1 and 3, 10am-3pm, and October 4, 10am-1pm
Taipa – night market, October 2, 3pm-7pm; The Barn SH10, October 7, 10am-3pm
Pamapūria – October 5, 10am-1pm; Pamāpuria School, October 6, 2pm-4pm
Taupo Bay – October 8, 12pm-4pm
Waipapa – pop-up, September 26; Lake Manuwai, September 28, 10am-2pm
Whangaroa – Whangāroa Hall, September 11, 10am-2pm plus 5pm-7pm; and pop-up, September 25
Moerewa – Ōtiria Marae, September 13, 3pm-6pm; Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Taumārere, September 18 and October 10, 10am-3pm; village centre, September 19 and October 3, 10am-3pm, and night market, 4pm-6pm
Kāeo – Kāeo Rugby Club, September 14, 1pm-5pm, and September 16: Ōtangaroa Marae, 10am-11am; Waihapa Marae, noon-1pm; Mangati Marae, 2pm-3pm; Te Huia Marae Rd, September 20, 10am-1pm
Whangaruru – TBC, September 17
Rāwhiti – September 21 and October 8
Ōpua – September 22
Waitangi – September 23
Matauri Bay – September 24
Kerikeri – Kerikeri Packhouse Markets, September 27, 8am-noon; pop-up, October 6
Mōtatau – September 29
Matawaia – September 30
Towai – October 1 and 4
Kawakawa – Gillies St, October 2, 10am-3pm
Pipiwai – Tau Henare Marae, October 5
Taemaro – Puketutu (The Hub), October 7, 10am-11am
Akatere Hub – Te Aukiwa Hub, October 7, noon-1pm
Waitaruke – church carpark, October 7, 2pm-3pm
Manawaroa – October 9
Mitimiti – today and tomorrow, 10am-2pm
Ngawha – tomorrow, 10am-2pm
Rangi Point – Sunday
Rāwene – wharf, September 25, October 3, 10am-2pm
Hōreke – Hōreke clinic, Tuesday, 10am-2pm; Waimā School, Wednesday, 10am-2pm
Kaikohe – Mahinga innovation centre, Wednesday, 6pm-8pm; Papa Hawaiki multisport complex, September 19, 10am-2pm; night market, October 7, 4pm-7pm
Ōmapere – wharf, Thursday, 10am-2pm
Pawarenga – Ōhaki Marae, September 19; pop-up, September 20 and October 9
Whangapē – September 21 and October 10
Panguru – Panguru clinic, September 22 and October 6, 10am-2pm
Mangamuka – September 23
Kohukohu – pop-up, September 24; wharf, September 28, 9am-noon
Ōpononi – pop-up, September 26, 10am-2pm; wharf, September 27, 8am-noon
Waimamaku – September 29
Whirinaki – September 30
Tāheke – Tāheke clinic, October 1, 10am-2pm
Ōkaihau – October 4
Ōhaeawai – October 5
Broadwood – Broadwood clinic, October 7, 10am-1pm, and Broadwood Area School, 1pm-2pm
Umawera – October 8
Kaipara itinerary:
Te Kopuru – Coronation Hall, September 20, 9am-3pm
Glinks Gully – playground, September 22, 2pm-3.30pm
Waipoua – visitor centre, September 23, 8am-10am
Aranga – Aranga School carpark, September 23, 10.30am-1pm
Omamari – reserve, September 23, 2pm-3.30pm
Poutō – Poutō Point carpark, September 24, 8am-9.30am; Kellys Bay reserve, September 24, 10.30am-noon
Ripia – Ripia church carpark, September 24, 1pm-3pm
Tangiteroria – sports complex, September 25, 8am-10am
Tangowahine – school carpark, September 25, 10.30am-noon
Arapohue – hall carpark, September 25, 1pm-3pm
Tinopai – hall carpark, September 26, 8am-11am
Matakohe – school carpark, September 26, 11.30am-1pm
Paparoa – reserve carpark, September 26, 1.30pm-3pm
Kaihu – hall, September 27, 9am-3pm
Whakapirau – wharf carpark, September 29, 8am-10am
Otamatea – Otamatea Marae carpark, September 29, 10.30am-1pm
Oruawharo – Oruawharo Marae carpark, September 30, 9am-11am
Kaiwaka – Te Pouanga church, September 30, noon-2pm, and Rangiora Rd carpark, 2.30pm-4pm, Hakaru Hall 4.30pm-6pm.
Whangārei’s itinerary:
Monday
Educare Kensington Park, Educare Norfolk St, Hurupaki Kindergarten, Te Kamo Kindergarten, The Falls Estate, Totara Gardens Retirement Village, Kamo Home and Village
Tuesday
St Johns Progressive Childcare Centre, BestStart Kensington Crossing, He Waka Eke Noa Early Learning Centre, Onerahi Kindergarten, Valleys Junior Treasures
Thursday
Inspired Minds Early Learning Centre, Educare Hikurangi, Hikurangi Kindergarten, Hikurangi Community Library
September 19
Parihaka Kindergarten, Parua Bay Childcare, Manaia Kindergarten, Parua Bay School, Taurikua Hall, Whangārei Heads community library
September 23
Christopher and Robin Early Childhood Centre, Educare One Tree Point, One Tree Point Rd, The Anchorage Retirement Village, Waipu Community Library, Saorsa Retirement Village
September 24
Portland School, Portland Kindergarten, Waiotira School, Whangārei Park Village
September 25
Educare Tikipunga, BestStart Pipiwai Kindy, corner Princes and Mercer Sts, 5 Waiatawa Rd near Lupton Masonic Village, Tikipunga Kindergarten, Maunu Pensioner Housing, Marian Heights Village
September 29
Geckos Early Learning Centre, Little Geckos Childcare Centre, Forest View Kindergarten, Kind Hands, Kiwi Kids Early Learning Centre, Kamo Rd opposite Parahaki Court Rest Home, Park Ave, Mains Ave
September 30
BestStart Kamo Central, Purau School, Ruatangata Hall, Educare Okara, BestStart Kotātā Heights, Jane Mander Retirement Village
October 1
Comrie Parke Kindergarten, Kingdom Kidz, Open Spaces Play School, Ngunguru Community Library, Matapouri Community Library
October 2
Kamo Childcare Centre, Step Ahead Childcare, Educare Totara Park, He Kaakano Early Childhood Centre, Oakura Hall
October 7
Springfield Domain, Mangapai Hall, One Tree Point Rd near Marsden Yacht Club, Busy Bees Ruakaka Childcare; Educare Bream Bay, Ruakaka Community Library, Bream Bay Retirement Village
October 8
First Avenue Kindergarten, Back 2 Basics Childcare, Maungatapere Playcentre, Stonehaven Retirement Village, Whangārei Park Village
October 9
Avenues Educare, Raumunga Kindergarten, 5 Waiatawa Road near Lupton Village, Giggles Learning Centre, Maunu Pensioner Housing, Marian Heights Village
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.