Aucklanders urged to Vote Now

Voting packs for the inaugural Auckland Council elections start arriving in letterboxes today and Aucklanders are being urged to vote without delay.

The voting packs are being delivered between 17 and 22 September and will include the actual voting document, background information (profiles) about candidates for mayor, wards and local boards, as well as district health boards and licensing trusts where applicable.

The voting packs will also contain an orange, postage-paid envelope to send votes back in.
"Once Aucklanders have cast their votes, they should put their voting documents in the orange return envelope and post it by Wednesday, 6 October 2010 to ensure it arrives in time to be counted," says Auckland Council Electoral Officer Dale Ofsoske. "By voting, they will make a real contribution to Auckland's future direction."

If Aucklanders want to be sure their vote gets in on time, they can also hand deliver voting documents to:

The Electoral Office Level 8, 92 Albert Street, Auckland
North Shore City Council Level 3, 1 The Strand, Takapuna
Papakura District Council 35 Coles Crescent, Papakura
Rodney District Council Centreway Road, Orewa
Waitakere City Council 6 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson
Franklin District Council 82 Manukau Road, Pukekohe
Manukau City Council 31-33 Wiri Station Road, Manukau
North Shore City Council Level 3, 1 The Strand, Takapuna

Voting documents can also be dropped off at the Auckland City Council service centres on Waiheke and Great Barrier and the Rodney District Council service centres in Helensville, Kumeu-Huapai and Warkworth.

On election day, Aucklanders can also return voting documents to any public library.
In total, 545 nominations were received for 170 vacancies – 23 mayoral candidates, 102 council candidates and 420 local board candidates.

In the Auckland Council, there will be 20 councillors representing 13 wards, and 149 local board members representing 21 local board areas.

Information supplied by all candidates is available on the Auckland Council website, www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

If voting packs have not been received by Wednesday, September 22, Mr Ofsoske says voters should contact his office.
Progress and preliminary results will be announced as soon as possible after noon on Saturday 9 October.
The official results will be announced when special votes have been checked, in the week of 11-15 October.

ENDS

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