10 October 2013

Elections 2013: Message for last-minute voters

As election day nears, certain Christchurch City Council facilities are extending their hours to accommodate the expected flood of last-minute votes.

The Civic Offices at 53 Hereford Street will remain open until 7.30pm on Friday 11 October, accepting hand-delivered votes and offering special voting facilities for residents who have only recently enrolled. The Civic Offices will also be open from 8.30am–noon on election day, Saturday 12 October. Likewise, Shirley Library will offer special voting facilities until 6pm on Friday 11.

All other Council-owned libraries and service centres will accept hand-delivered votes as usual, provided each voter’s form is sealed in its own envelope.

Electoral Officer Clare Sullivan says the new hours leave a wider window of opportunity for busy Christchurch residents to have their all-important say in who will represent them for the next three years.

“Any votes that get posted to us from now on are unlikely to reach us by the time voting closes at noon on Saturday, so we’re asking everyone who hasn’t voted yet to pop into their most convenient Council service centre or library with their completed forms,” she says.

“If voters can’t make it in on Saturday morning – and history tells us that a lot of last-minute voters like to come in at that time – they’ll be pleased to know that they can drop by after work on Friday if that suits them better. It’s about giving busy Christchurch people as many options as possible.”

Council staff are collecting votes from libraries and service centres right up until noon, Saturday 12 October.

Special votes can be cast at the following times and locations:
• Civic Offices, Ground Floor, 53 Hereford Street. Monday–Thursday 8.30am–5pm, Friday 8.30am–7.30pm, Saturday 8.30am–noon.
• Shirley Service Centre, 36 Marshland Road. Monday–Thursday 9am–5pm, Friday 9am–6pm, Saturday 10am–noon.
• Akaroa Service Centre, 28 Rue Jolie, Akaroa Recreation Ground. Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm, Saturday 9am–noon.

Progress results of the election will be posted on www.ccc.govt.nz/elections early afternoon on Saturday 12, with preliminary results following at approximately 5pm. The final declaration of results will take place on Thursday 17 October.

For more information, please visit www.ccc.govt.nz/elections

ENDS

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