Ready to vote in the local elections?

With local elections now only four months away, Christchurch and Banks Peninsula residents are being asked to check they’re enrolled and ready to vote.

The Electoral Commission has begun sending out enrolment update packs and these should arrive in your letterboxes by Monday 8 July.

“When you get your pack in the mail, check your details are correct, so you don’t miss out on voting in the October local elections,’’ says Mandy Bohté, National Manager of Enrolment and Community Engagement for the Electoral Commission.

“If we’ve got the right details for you, you don’t need to do anything more. If anything needs updating, make the changes and send them back to us straight away.

“If you don’t get a pack by 8 July, it means you’re not enrolled or need to update your address,’’ Ms Bohté says.

The local elections are held by postal vote and people need to be enrolled at the right address to receive their voting papers in the mail.

Enrolling or updating your details is easy – go online at vote.nz, call 0800 36 76 56 or go into any PostShop.

Christchurch City Council Electoral Officer Jo Daly is urging everyone who will be aged 18 at the time of the elections in October to make sure they are enrolled to vote.

“Local Councils and health boards make decisions that shape our city’s future and decide on things like rates, roading, rubbish, parks and health services so it’s important that you’re enrolled and ready to have your say,’’ Ms Daly says.

“If you are thinking about putting your name forward as a candidate for the local elections, nominations open on 19 July. You can find information about what is involved on our website,’’ Ms Daly says.

For Christchurch City Council, the Mayoralty, 16 Council seats representing individual wards, and 37 Community Board positions are open to candidates.

To stand for election, you must be a New Zealand citizen and enrolled on the Parliamentary electoral roll. You do not need to live in the area in which you want to stand, but you need to be nominated by two people who do.

An information session for candidates is being held at 6.30pm on Thursday night in the Level 1 Function Room of the Civic Offices in Hereford Street.