Ballots hitting mailboxes for by-election

Voting opens today in the by-election for a seat at the Invercargill City Council table.

Deputy Electoral Officer Michael Morris said everyone enrolled to vote should start seeing their voting papers arrive in their mailboxes from today.

“Voting is easy, you can fill out your ballot and send it back to us in the post, or you can pop in to the Invercargill City Council Civic Administration Building in Esk Street, the Invercargill Public Library on Dee Street, or the Bluff Service Centre in Gore Street, Bluff to drop it in a ballot box,” Mr Morris said.

There are nine candidates vying for the one seat, with information about each of the nominees available on Council’s website.

Mr Morris said if anyone had forgotten to enrol to vote, if they damaged or lost their voting papers, or if they were enrolled to vote on the unpublished roll, they could still cast a special vote.

“Given that we had a general election just last year, then most people who are eligible to vote will be enrolled correctly. If you received a letter confirming you were enrolled for the general election, then you should receive voting papers for this by-election.

“We ask that you wait a week or two for your voting papers to arrive. If you don’t see them appear in your mail box, get in touch with us or pop in to see us and we can arrange for you to make a special vote,” Mr Morris said.

Voting papers can be returned via the post until 12 February. If you take a little longer to decide who you’d like to vote for, it’s best to drop off your ballots from then on.

Voting closes on 17 February at midday.

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