Two elected unopposed to Waikato Regional Council seats

Two candidates have been elected unopposed to Waikato Regional Council, with the remaining 12 councillors to be decided by voters.

In total, 27 nominations were received for Waikato Regional Council seats in six general and two Māori constituencies in this year's local government elections.

At the close of nominations at midday today, the number of candidates did not exceed the number of vacancies in the two Māori constituencies. That means Tipa Mahuta and Kataraina Hodge have been elected unopposed and regional council voting will therefore not occur in their constituencies.

They have been contacted this afternoon.

However, voting will take place in all six of the general constituencies – Hamilton, Taupō, Waihou-Piako, Waipā-King Country, Thames-Coromandel and Waikato.

Regional councillors are elected by voters enrolled on the residential and ratepayers rolls in their constituency. Everyone correctly enrolled by today will receive their voting papers in the mail between September 20 to 25.

Voting papers must be received by midday on Election Day, Saturday October 12 2019.

In May the council decided candidate names would appear in fully random order on each voting paper. This year's elections use the first past the post (FPP) system, where you tick the candidate/s you would like to vote for.

The October elections will bring to an end the political careers of four current regional councillors, who have decided not to stand again. They are Jane Hennebry (12 years), Alan Livingston (6 years), Bob Simcock (6 years) and Jennie Hayman (3 years).

Waikato Regional Council candidates (listed in alphabetical order)

Hamilton general constituency (4 vacancies)
William Durning
Peter Koizumi
Jennifer Nickel
Barry Quayle
Russ Rimmington
Angela Strange

Taupō-Rotorua general constituency (1 vacancy)
Bernhard Chrustowski
Alana Delich
Kathy White

Thames-Coromandel general constituency (1 vacancy)
Clyde Graf
Liam Kedzlie
Dal Minogue
Denis Tegg

Waihou general constituency (2 vacancies)
Gray Baldwin
Bill Cox
Stu Husband
Tara Jesperson
Hugh Vercoe

Waikato general constituency (2 vacancies)
Richard Gee
Keith Holmes
Fred Lichtwark
Pamela Storey

Waipā-King Country general constituency (2 vacancies)
Dan Armstrong
Stuart Kneebone
Andrew MacPherson

Ngā Tai Ki Uta Māori constituency (1 vacancy – elected unopposed)

Kataraina Hodge

Ngā Hau E Whā Māori constituency (1 vacancy – elected unopposed)

Tipa Mahuta