Three throw their hats in the ring for Kai Iwi byelection

A byelection to fill a vacancy for a representative for the Kai Iwi subdivision on the Whanganui Rural Community Board will be held in June. Photo / Bevan Conley

Voting in the Whanganui Rural Community Board byelection opens next month.

Brian Doughty, Quentin Handley and Robert Walker are all vying to be the Kai Iwi subdivision representative following the resignation of Sandra Faulkner in April.

The vote will be conducted by postal voting using the first-past-the-post (FPP) electoral system.

Whanganui Rural Community Board chairman David Wells said the three candidates running were outstanding, and he encouraged everyone within the subdivision eligible to vote to do so.

“The Whanganui Rural Community Board is the voice of the rural community at the council table, and we are looking forward to having our board membership complete once again,” Wells said.

The board had some specific interests in Kai Iwi, including a cycle track to Mowhanau Beach and improvements to William Birch Park.

Whanganui District Council chief executive David Langford encouraged those in the area to vote.

“Representative rural leadership in the Whanganui District relies on engagement from our rural community and, as a council, we need to hear about the issues and concerns of our rural residents in order to best serve them,” he said.

The byelection was an opportunity for residents to have their preferred candidate bring those issues to the council.

Voting papers will be mailed to electors on June 15, with voting to close at midday on July 7.

Special voting facilities for the byelection will be available at the council buildings at 101 Guyton St during normal office hours while voting is open.