Hamilton City Council by-election plagued by low voter interest

Only two days remain for Hamilton City Council's East Ward by-election. Voting closes on Saturday, February 17. Photo / Hamilton City Council

Hamilton City Council’s newest councillor is only days away from being decided but only one in six voters have so far voted.

Voting in the East Ward by-election ends at midday Saturday, but by Wednesday, only 16 per cent of eligible voters had cast their vote.

More than 56,000 voting packs had been delivered to letterboxes. Electoral officer Amy Viggers told the Waikato Herald only 9502 packs have been returned.

It’s still a jump in voters from last week, when only around 11 per cent had voted.

Viggers said low voter turnout was a trend nationwide, and various factors contributed to the apathy.

“Turnout is impacted by different variables such as the candidates, topical issues and time of year. For instance, this by-election has covered several public holidays, and the last by-election had the voting time frame extended due to covid-19.

“It’s been a time of year when many of us have had other things on our minds or were out of town. Voters might have been fatigued given we had just had a general election, then Christmas, and back-to-school, and work. The tertiary academic year has not started.

“Unfortunately, there has been a nationwide trend toward lower voter turnout in local elections.”

Viggers said voting was a significant way for people to be involved in the future of the city.

“Councillors act as advocates for their community, they take part in crucial decision-making and help guide policy affecting the future of Hamilton.

“It’s really important to vote. The councillor you elect will be making decisions for the future of Hamilton. When you vote, you’re helping to shape the future of our beautiful city.

“I strongly encourage everyone on the east side of the river to vote. It’s your chance to pick the people that you think will best represent you and the issues you care about.”

The voting process is simple - rank the candidates and return your voting paper to the nearest ballot box.

Ballot box locations can be found on the council’s website, and at Chartwell, Hillcrest, and Rototuna libraries.

Sixteen candidates are vying for the vacant seat.

The East Ward by-election was triggered by councillor Ryan Hamilton’s resignation, following his selection into the 2023 general election, as the National Party’s MP for Hamilton East.

Voting for the Hamilton East Ward by-election concludes on Saturday, February 17, at midday.

Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.

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