More people have voted in the museum referendum than the Tauranga City Council by-election, as the closing date for polling approaches.
All votes on whether the city should have a museum, as well as which candidate should fill the current At Large vacancy on the council, must be received by 12pm on Tuesday.
Electoral officer Warwick Lampp says as at Friday, 23.5 per cent of electors had cast their vote.
'It's probably around 25 per cent now,” he says. 'Very few by-elections get past 30 per cent. I think the last one in Tauranga had a turnout of 28 per cent, so we're on track for that.”
Voter turnout at the 2016 council election was 38 per cent, while Warwick says the national average for local body elections is 45 per cent.
He says turnout for the referendum has been slightly higher than for the by-election, which he thinks is because of the online voting.
'It's around three per cent ahead of the by-election. Around 15 per cent of those who have voted have done so online.”
Voting papers posted today won't arrive in time to be counted, so voters are recommended to drop off voting papers at the council's customer service centre or at their local library.
Electors can make a special vote before the close-off date. To make a special vote they need to come into council's customer service centre, 91 Willow St.
People can make a special vote if they:
• are not enrolled in Tauranga or have changed their address since April 1, 2018;
• have not received or lost their voter pack;
• have thrown it out or destroyed it; or
• are on the unpublished electoral roll.
Warwick expects the results of both the by-election and the referendum will be announced tomorrow afternoon.
The successful candidate will be sworn in at an extraordinary council meeting on Monday, May 7, while the council's final decision on a museum will be made on June 28 when the 2018-2028 Long Term Plan is adopted.
If you haven't made a decision yet on which candidate to vote for, check out the video of the live candidates' debate, hosted by SunLive earlier this month.
5 comments
Pretty much
Posted on 30-04-2018 12:01 | By Lvdw
shows you where peoples interests and concerns lie.They care about where a museum will be built and how it will effect them for years and years to come, not so much about who is the flavour of the month for council.
Museum Vote
Posted on 30-04-2018 14:31 | By Maryfaith
With the total overall vote at 25% to 30% regardless of the proportion of votes against the museum they will use the excuse that as the referendum isn't binding - the huge majority of those eligible to vote and didn't, couldn't care one way or the other. We will have the bl........y thing foisted upon us whether we like it or not! The whole thing is a farce!
Museun.
Posted on 30-04-2018 17:38 | By roseh
Even if the vote is for no museum they said the referendium wasn't binding ???As far as I can see council have already made up there mind it will happen.WELL DON"T TOUCH MY RATES FOR IT HARD ENOUGH NOW
@ Lvdw
Posted on 30-04-2018 18:51 | By Captain Sensible
I think you will find it proves the majority do not want a museum. You are barking up the wrong tree.
Is it a
Posted on 30-04-2018 21:14 | By simple.really
binding referendum or just another expensive project that that doesn't mean anything? Does anyone know? Is there any point in voting?
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