Sir Barry Curtis will seek a seventh term as Mayor of Manukau City.
The 62-year-old, who was first elected to the council in 1968, said last night that he had the same energy and passion for the city as when he won the mayoralty in 1983.
Christine Fletcher is expected to
reveal this week that she will seek a second term as Auckland Mayor, setting up a battle with former National MP John Banks.
Council botch-ups, congested roads and public transport are shaping up as the big issues at the local body elections on October 13.
The Herald today starts its coverage of the elections, which include the first voting for public health boards in 12 years.
In News Review you will learn that our elected servants are prone to mucking up the basics - and how to cast a postal vote.
On past performance, about half of voters flag it away or simply tick familiar names on the ballot paper.
To help you sort the strange names and vague policies, the Herald will put a full list of the candidates online and provide coverage of the contenders and battles over the next eight weeks.
Nominations close at noon on Friday and postal voting papers will start going out on September 21.
