By STAFF REPORTERS
The Mayor of Waitakere City, Bob Harvey, is being challenged for his job by Chris Seagar, the man who witnessed Mr Harvey's infamous down-trou incident in October 1999.
Mr Harvey lowered his jogging pants and shouted an obscenity to Mr Seagar after an argument with him in a
Titirangi street one morning.
The Labour Party later apologised to Mr Seagar for the incident, because Mr Harvey was party president at the time.
Mr Harvey has been mayor for nine years.
The two men have clashed often but Mr Seagar, who runs a software company, said yesterday that he was deeply offended by the incident.
He would contest the mayoralty with the aim of bringing more accountability to local body politics and to improve the general standard of the council's performance.
Also nominated yesterday were former councillor Ross Britten, Gareth Hill and Vanessa Neeson, wife of the National MP for Waitakere, Brian Neeson, who is making her fourth attempt to be mayor.
The contest is one of 98 elections for local bodies in September. Nominations closed at midday yesterday with a late flurry.
One person who will not need to campaign is a former mayor of Waitemata, now Waitakere City, Tim Shadbolt, who is Mayor of Invercargill. No one has put their name forward to challenge him.
Mr Shadbolt said he believed the lack of opposition reflected the way he and the council had tried to turn around the fortunes of the city which has been losing people for years.
Positive feeling came from the likes of the success of the Southern Sting netball team, city improvements and the no-fees scheme for study in the city, he said.
In Auckland, mayor Christine Fletcher faces a strong challenge from a former National Party cabinet colleague, John Banks.
Her chances of a second term took a setback this week when Alliance president Matt McCarten entered the race.
The left-wing Mr McCarten could steal some of the liberal centre-left vote and allow Mr Banks to come through the middle.
In North Shore City, the sitting mayor, George Wood, has four rivals - councillor and environmentalist Joel Cayford, seasoned campaigners David Greville and Alan McCulloch, and anti-pollution activist Gayle Leybourne.
No mayor of North Shore City has yet been given a second term.
Adding interest to the election for the Harbour ward of the council is a new six-person ticket, the A-Team, led by councillor and former Labour MP Jenny Kirk.
The Mayor of Manukau City for 18 years, Sir Barry Curtis, has five challengers. They are ex-Vietnam veteran Cliff McMahon, Wes Taylor, David Bergersen, Paul Teio and Phil O'Connor.
The Papakura mayoralty is to be contested by the sitting mayor, David Buist, and a former Papakura City councillor, Lucas Bunt.
Franklin District mayor Heather Maloney faces a challenge from a councillor, Don Swales, and cafe proprietor Lucy Hendry.
In Hamilton, eight people have been nominated for the mayoralty race, but the contest will probably come down to two heavyweights - incumbent Russ Rimmington and city businessman David Braithwaite. Founder of the defunct Kiwi International Airlines, Ewan Wilson, decided not to contest the mayoralty.
One mayoralty race in the Waikato that was decided after nominations closed yesterday was in the Otorohanga district, where incumbent Eric Tait was unopposed.
In Whangarei, incumbent mayor Craig Brown faces challenges from long-time councillor Phil Halse and People First candidate Calvin Green.
Mr Halse, a dairy farmer, has served three terms as a ward councillor for Bream Bay and chaired several council committees.
People First is a coalition of Labour, Greens, the Alliance and several smaller groups.
Kaipara District Council mayor Graeme Ramsey is standing unopposed.
In Taupo, five-term mayor Joan Williamson's retirement has left the way open for an exciting race between seven candidates - three sitting councillors and four newcomers. Deputy mayor Joe Keehan will be a strong contender, as will former deputy mayor Rex Hawkins, who is making his second bid for the mayoralty.
In Rotorua, present mayor Grahame Hall is up against two sitting councillors, Knocker Dean and Cliff Lee.
Mr Lee rose to prominence this year with his strong stance against the return of the Rotorua district lakes to Te Arawa ownership.
The retirement of Tauranga mayor Noel Pope has resulted in an eight-person race for his job, with deputy mayor Stuart Crosby probably the front-runner.
Wellington's mayoralty election has drawn a few well-known faces for a race that is is being seen as too close to call.
Women's Refuge head Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, former cricketer John "Mystery" Morrison, and deputy mayor Kerry Prendergast are three of the 14 vying for the right to fill Mark Blumsky's shoes.
Mr Blumsky is retiring from the mayoralty to open a chain of pizza kiosks.
In Dunedin, incumbent Sukhi Turner is facing a challenge from her predecessor, Richard Walls.
Christchurch mayor Garry Moore has 13 others fighting for his position, including former radio host George Balani.
Feature: Local body elections 2001
By STAFF REPORTERS
The Mayor of Waitakere City, Bob Harvey, is being challenged for his job by Chris Seagar, the man who witnessed Mr Harvey's infamous down-trou incident in October 1999.
Mr Harvey lowered his jogging pants and shouted an obscenity to Mr Seagar after an argument with him in a
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