Late surge in local body votes expected

New Zealand Post is preparing for a late surge in voting returns for local body elections.

Voting papers need to be in the post now to meet the Saturday deadline though they can also be delivered by hand.

NZ Post has rostered on extra staff to cope with the expected workload.

Voting has been slow over much of the country. In Wellington City, nearly 27 per cent of people have returned their papers, down three per cent on the same time in 2004.

Gore is the standout district with returns close to 50 per cent.

Auckland City's mayor Dick Hubbard believes voting numbers could be down for several reasons.

He said that in Auckland, there are no big issues sparking public interest as there were leading up to the last elections when issues such as the eastern corridor debate and the V8 car race divided the city's population.

Mr Hubbard said Auckland voting patterns are going back to what they were six years ago and are now more in line with what is happening around the rest of the country.

He said it is hugely important for people to vote because democracy stops working with less than a 40 per cent turnout.

- NEWSTALK ZB