Further meeting for candidates

A THIRD “Meet the Candidates” meeting has been arranged as the preparation of about 21,000 voting papers for the Manawatu District Council’s Mayoral By-Election nears completion.

The Sanson Community Committee is to hold its candidates’ night at 7.30pm on Thursday, February 16, in the town’s community hall. It will follow similar meetings in the Te Kawau Recreation Centre, Rongotea, at 7.30pm on Monday, February 13, and the Rangitikei Club, Feilding, at 7.30pm on Tuesday, February 14.

Four candidates – current MDC councillors Barbara Cameron, Steve Gibson and Margaret Kouvelis and Palmerston North business owner Russell Johnson – are vying for the mayoralty following the resignation of Ian McKelvie, now the MP for Rangitikei.

Deputy Electoral Officer Janine Hawthorn said the meetings were solely the domain of the organising bodies involved, though council would promote time and venue details.

She said the voting papers currently being printed would be dispatched to district voters on February 13, with postal voting to close at noon on Election Day, Wednesday, March 7.

New Zealand Post has advised that there will be a five-day delivery turnaround and anticipates that everyone will receive their papers on or before Saturday, February 18.

Mrs Hawthorn said anyone who felt they were eligible to vote, but had not received their papers by the end of next week, should make contact with her on (06) 323-0000 and discuss the possibility of a special vote.

She was hoping for a good response from district voters to the by-election and that the usual 30 percent response rating for such events was topped.