Two nominations received for Rangitīkei District Council byelection

Two nominations were received for the Rangitikei District Council vacancy. Photo / File

Two people have put their hand up with last minute nominations for the Rangitīkei District Council byelection.

Coral Raukawa and Cian O'Gorman will contest the vacant Southern Ward seat in February's byelection.

Expected to cost around $19,000, the byelection was triggered by the resignation of councillor Jane Dunn earlier this year following disagreements with fellow councillors surrounding the Bulls Community Centre.

Nominations closed on Tuesday. On Monday afternoon, not a single nomination had been received, prompting fears no one would put their hand up.

One of the candidates, Marton woman Coral Raukawa, handed in her nomination on Tuesday morning. Raukawa has run for council previously, missing out on a Central Ward seat at the council table at the 2019 local body elections.

Receiving 723 votes, Raukawa was seventh out of the nine candidates.

Raukawa told the Chronicle that she has decided to stand in the Southern Ward as her whakapapa traces back to Ratana and Turakina.

"When I went for the Central Ward, I was a bit iffy on what ward I should fit in. I live in Marton, but my marae and where I will be building a home is in Turakina," Raukawa said.

"It was a bit of 'okay, we're going again' and I'll get a chance to stand where I am originally from."

O'Gorman has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The byelection voting process begins on January 26, when the council will send out voting documents to registered electors of the Southern Ward. Election day itself is February 17, and votes must be received by 5pm that day.

The successful candidate will be formally declared on February 20.