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Election Rally This Weekend
A group campaigning for the retention of Māori wards on Whakatāne District Council is staging a hikoi this Saturday, with the dual purpose of promote its cause and encouraging people to vote.
The group will gather at the old Whakatāne iSite on the corner of Kakaharoa Drive and Quay Street from 11am, before marching along The Strand between 12 noon and 12.30pm.
The rally will arrive at Margaret Mahy Court, at the rear entrance to the Civic Centre, where council electoral officers will be on hand for anyone wanting to post their voting forms or make Special Votes.
The Hikoi to Vote is being organised in Whakatāne by action groups Te Tiriti Matters and Keep Māori Wards Whakatāne and is part of a nationwide call for action Hikoi ki Te Pōti across Friday and Saturday. Similar events are happening in Wellington, Kāpiti, Waipa, Hastings, Palmerston North and Whanganui.
Everyone who is enrolled to vote in the local government election should by now have received their voting packs in the mail. Those who have not yet made their minds up about who to vote for have plenty of options to find out more about their candidates. Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Whakatāne, Kawerau and Ōpōtiki district councils all have video interviews with their candidates available on their websites and social media pages.
Video footage of It’s in the Ballot, a roadshow that had held events inviting all candidates in the Whakatāne and Kawerau districts, as well as regional council candidates for the Bay of Plenty is also available to view on youtube.com @itsintheballot. Whakatāne-Ōhope ward candidates for the district council are hosting an event at the Whakatāne Little Theatre on Thursday night for all candidates in the ward, starting from 5.30pm.
If you have not yet received your voting packs, or if they have been damaged or lost you will need to make a special vote. Either head down to your local council office in person to make your vote or phone 0800 922 822 or email specialvotes@electionservices.co.nz to request a form to be sent to you.
Local Democracy Reporting
Content from the Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) service is published by Scoop as a registered New Zealand Media Outlet LDR Partner.
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