Get your voting papers in the post

People planning to mail back their voting papers for the local elections need to get them in the post by Tuesday 4 October.

So far just under 20 per cent of eligible Christchurch and Banks Peninsula voters have returned their voting papers.

“We are now two weeks into the three-week voting period and there are still lots of people who have yet to vote,’’ says Christchurch City Council Electoral Officer Jo Daly.

“If you have not yet voted, now is the time to do it. Completed voting papers need to be mailed by 5pm on Tuesday 4 October to ensure they arrive before voting closes at noon on Saturday 8 October,’’ Ms Daly says.

“You should have received a postage-paid envelope with your voting papers. All you need to do is complete your voting papers, put them in the envelope, and then drop the envelope into any post box before the close of business on Tuesday.

People can use the PostShop/Kiwibank locator to find out where post boxes are located in their area.

“If you miss the cut-off for posting your voting papers, you will need to hand deliver them to one of the ballot boxes that have been placed at open Council libraries and service centres and in the ground floor of the Civic Offices in Hereford Street,’’ Ms Daly says.

Completed voting papers must be returned by noon on Saturday 8 October in order to be counted.

Ms Daly says eligible voters who have not received voting papers can still take part in the election by requesting a special vote.

This can be done by emailing elections2022@ccc.govt.nz or by phoning 941-8999. Alternatively, people can pick up special voting documents between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, until 7 October from:

• Christchurch City Council Civic Offices, 53 Hereford Street
• Fendalton Service Centre, 4 Jeffreys Road, Fendalton
• Hornby Service Centre, 2/8 Goulding Avenue, Hornby
• Linwood Service Centre, Eastgate Mall, first floor, Corner Buckleys Road and Linwood Avenue
• Beckenham Service Centre, 66 Colombo Street, Beckenham
• Te Hāpua Halswell Service Centre, 341 Halswell Road, Halswell
• Shirley Service Centre, 36 Marshland Road, Shirley

Special voting documents are also available from 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday, until 7 October at:

• Lyttelton Service Centre, 18 Canterbury Street

• Akaroa Service Centre, 78 Rue Lavaud

On Saturday 8 October, special voting documents will also be available from the Civic Offices from 9am until the close of voting at noon.

Find out more about special voting.