Morgan said, while much of the campaigning was now done online, “people still really appreciate seeing the candidates in the flesh and being able to ask questions directly”.
Current Eastern Ward councillor Sarah Free told the Herald the weather has been colder this year than in previous election campaigns.
She said shifting the date of the election campaign to summer could offer advantages.
“Moving to early November might help, and the days would be a bit longer too.
“The disadvantage would be less time to set up the new council committees and get more of the work programme started before the end of the year.”
Councillor Tim Brown called the suggestion “bonkers”.
“When I was running around the area three years ago handing out leaflets, I had no problem with the weather,” he told the Herald.
“As you will know, Wellington has an unpredictable climate. That does have to be taken into account when scheduling some outdoor activities, but has no bearing on the appropriate timing for the election.
“If someone is too delicate to brave the outdoors in spring, I can’t see them surviving the blasts which frequently arise within the council chamber.”
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) told the Herald local elections followed a fixed schedule, as mandated by Parliament under the Local Electoral Act 2001.
“Section 10 of the act states that local elections must be held on the second Saturday in October every three years.
“This is how the date of Saturday, October 11, was decided for the 2025 local elections.
LGNZ said any change to how the date for local elections was determined would require an amendment to the Local Electoral Act 2001.
David Williams is an Auckland-based multimedia journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.
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