Voting has opened for the Bay of Plenty Regional Council byelection to fill a vacant Eastern Bay seat.

The byelection will fill the seat previously held by former Kawerau Mayor Malcolm Campbell, who died in May aged 73.

Five candidates are standing for the seat.

Victor Luca is a former Whakatāne mayor and councillor.

Toi Iti is a former regional councillor and chairman of the Eastern Bay river scheme committees.

Richard Collins is an independent candidate campaigning under the slogan Think Positive.

Dr Jessica Sneha Gray is a clinical sociologist, licensed investigator and Eastern Bay business owner.

Dayle Hunia’s background is in governance, business and environmental management, including with the Environmental Protection Authority and Environmental Defence Society.

Council chief executive Fiona McTavish said in a media release that this was a chance for Eastern Bay voters to choose who speaks for them as the region works through some “big changes”.

“The decisions made around the regional council table have a real impact on local communities, from how we protect our environment to how we manage public transport, biosecurity, flood protection and regional planning.”

Eligible voters have until midday September 25, to return their voting papers.

These can be posted in the freepost envelope provided or put in one of the region’s orange voting bins.

Special votes are available for those who have not received voting papers, lost or damaged them, enrolled late, are on the unpublished roll, or need to update enrolment details.

Special voting is available during office hours at regional council offices in Tauranga and Whakatāne.

Additional sessions will be held at Ōpōtiki District Council on September 22 and Kawerau District Council on September 23, from 10am to 3pm.

More information about the election, candidates and voting locations is available on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council website.