Southland District Council Mayoral candidate Kirsty Pickett fears many district voters may not be well informed about those who seek to represent them because of confusion over electoral boundaries.

“I’ve been shocked by the number of people I’ve spoken to recently who tell me who tell me they’re voting for the Invercargill Mayor and Council when in fact they’re clearly Southland District residents.”

The confusion, she believes, has been made worse by the boundary review undertaken by the Representation Commission that took effect for the 2020 general election -- a realignment that also saw the Clutha-Southland electorate renamed to just Southland.

“We have a Southland electorate and an Invercargill electorate, but quite a number of our ratepayers live inside territorial authorities with the exact opposite name. Even Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds resides in the Southland District.”

Enrolment papers sent out by the Electoral Commission imploring people to “get ready to vote in the local elections” had potentially added to the confusion, Pickett said.

Southland District voters in places as far flung as Mabel Bush, Hedgehope, Wyndham, Fortrose, Riverton, Fairfax, Otautau, Tuatapere, Wreys Bush, Nightcaps and Stewart Island got letters confirming their electorate as Invercargill, leading some people to believe they are now voting for an Invercargill council when all are actually, still, Southland District constituents.

“Nowhere on those papers did it clarify the name of the territorial authority area they would be voting in.”

“If people in these areas are following the headline-hogging Invercargill candidates, they’re going to get a heck of a surprise when none of those names are on the voting papers they receive.”

There are six people vying for the Southland District Mayoralty and elections are required in four of the five wards. At the last election, just 47.3% of those eligible voted in the Southland District Council elections.

“I know there’s a lot of apathy towards council elections, which is a great shame because there are so many big challenges ahead that we need to face together. I see it as one of my priorities as Mayor to lead a strong and united council that is committed to re-engaging with our residents and ratepayers,” Pickett said.

Ballot papers for the 2022 local body elections will be sent out from September 16 and must be back in the hands of the returning officer by noon on October 8. People who want to have their say but have not yet enrolled to vote can request special voting papers from the Southland District Council’s electoral officer. Further information can be found at https://www.votelocal.co.nz

© Scoop Media