Published: 18 Jul 2019

Nominations for this year’s Local Elections open tomorrow (Friday 19 July) and it’s time for anyone who wants to stand to get organised.

The nomination period for Timaru District local elections, including the Mayoral, Timaru District Council and Community Boards, South Canterbury District Health Board, Environment Canterbury and Geraldine Licensing Trust is open from Friday until 12 noon on Friday 16 August.

This year’s local elections take place by postal ballot in October 2019. Voting papers will be posted to electors from 20 September. The official Election Day when the poll closes is 12 October.

Candidates cannot nominate themselves for office and each nomination must be made on the official nomination paper. These are now available online at Timaru.govt.nz/elections, from the main council office and Temuka and Geraldine service centres. They can also be obtained by telephoning 03 687 7200 to request a nomination form to be posted.

Electoral Officer Mark Low says that it’s important to get in early so that any nomination issues can be fixed before the deadline.

“Although we usually get a number of nominations towards the end of the period, we’d ask people, particularly if this is your first time standing, to get your nominations in as early as possible.

“This give us the opportunity to check the nomination, rectify any issues and ensure it’s valid before the deadline. After 16 August, nothing in the application can be amended, so it’s important to ensure everything is correct before then.

“If you are thinking of standing, a great first place to start is our Candidate Information Booklet, which tells you everything you need to know about standing for election.”

Nominations must be with the Electoral Officer at the main Timaru Council office by 12 noon on Friday 16 August, any received after this time, even if they were posted prior to this time, won’t be valid.

Everything you need to know about standing for election, enrolling to vote and voting in this year’s elections is at Timaru.govt.nz/elections

Last updated: 24 Feb 2021