C&R candidate Malcolm Turner continues to stand up for the people of Māngere-Ōtāhuhu in an Auckland Council by-election for the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board.

“I back the people of Māngere-Ōtāhuhu who have told me that someone is door-knocking our community and deceitfully collecting voting papers,” says Mr Turner.

“When I was approached by a local resident on Saturday asking whether it was normal for her mother to be door-knocked by a person holding a pile of sealed envelopes and requesting for her voting papers, I reached out to the local Facebook group asking them to be aware.

“What I did not expect to happen was for people to share the same experiences and publicly comment that this was a candidate. One resident stated, ‘Yes the actual candidate did this, hence I was shocked to find out who he was… I have 6 witnesses that can say who the culprit was he came down to our little village! Made my kaumatua (neighbors) sign their papers then took them.”

"Local residents have also reported to Police that a representative of the Labour Party candidate Papaliitele Lafulafu Peo was collecting ballots from them in Māngere. I will be passing on all reports I receive to Police as well.

“It’s incredibly disturbing that our local election in Māngere-Ōtāhuhu is being undermined in this way. Voters should have the right to choose who to vote for. Taking away that right to influence the result of an election is not the kiwi way.”

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