Invercargill voters will need to deliver their votes by hand from Monday as time runs out for postal votes.

Election day for local government elections, including Invercargill City Council, Bluff Community Board and the Invercargill Licensing Trust is on Saturday, October 8.

Votes must be received by midday on election day, and from Monday 3 October all votes will need to be dropped off at a Council voting bin as those delivered via post after this time will no longer be received in time for the cut-off.

Votes can be dropped off at the Council’s Civic Administration Building in Esk St, at the Invercargill Public Library, at the Bluff Service Centre and at the Vote Murihiku Election Hub beside Farmers in the new Invercargill Central mall in Esk St.

There are orange voting bins in place throughout Invercargill, at both New World Windsor and Elles Rd, at The Warehouse and at Mitre 10 Mega.

Invercargill City Council Deputy Electoral Officer and Manager Governance and Legal Michael Morris said in order to make sure your vote was counted it needed to be hand delivered from Monday.

“With that in mind we have many ways that people are able to vote,” Morris said.

“If you don’t have your postal voting papers, you can still cast a special vote at the Vote Murihiku hub, the Council or the Bluff Service Centre. The Hub is also equipped to help people enrol if they haven’t already,” he said.

So far 20.3 percent of eligible votes have been returned, compared with 23.7 percent at the same time in the last election.

“We’ve done our best to make voting as accessible and convenient as possible and now it’s up to the people of Invercargill and Bluff to make the best decision for them,” Morris said.

Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, Gore District Council, and Environment Southland have come together in collaboration for Vote Murihiku 2022 to encourage as many people as possible across Murihiku Southland to take part in the elections this year.

Votes for any of the Councils, or the Invercargill Licensing Trust or Mataura Licensing Trust, can be lodged at any Council or at the Vote Murihiku hub.

For more information, visit icc.govt.nz/elections.