With voting packs for the 2022 Whakatāne District Election arriving in mailboxes from tomorrow (Friday, 16 September), residents and ratepayers across the rohe are being encouraged to tick off three important steps; vote, pack and drop off. 
All papers should be delivered to mailboxes by Wednesday, 21 September. When your voting pack arrives, read the instructions carefully and complete your voting document. Pack it back into the supplied pre-paid orange envelope and either drop it in your local post shop, or post box, or drop it into a ballot box at Council’s Customer Service Centre at 4 Commerce Street, Te Kōputu a Te Whanga a Toi (Whakatāne Library), or the Murupara Service Centre.
Governance Manager Cindy Butt says it’s important everyone gets their votes in before cut-off to ensure they’ve had their opportunity to change the game.
“Voting will be open until 12noon on Saturday, 8 October 2022. If you’re returning your voting papers by post it’s important to send them in before 4 October to ensure they arrive for processing before deadline.”
“Voting papers delivered to the Murupara Service Centre will need to be placed in the voting box before 4:30pm on Friday, 7 October. Votes can be lodged at 4 Commerce Street and Te Kōputu through until midday on Saturday, 8 October.”
Council is also excited to announce two innovative approaches to voting this year: a drive-through voting booth on voting day (8 October), and mobile voting for rural communities.
“In the lead up to final voting day on 8 October, we’ll be hitting the road and visiting our more rural communities across the rohe. We’ll be bringing ballot boxes to Galatea, Waiōhau, Te Mahoe, Rūātoki, Tāneatua, Waimana, Ruatāhuna and Minginui to help remove some of the barriers to voting.”
Cindy adds, “We’ll also provide assistance with the special vote process for those who didn’t enrol in time, who didn’t receive their papers, or whose dog ate them!”
She continues, “On voting day itself, Council staff will be at the War Memorial Hall complex in Whakatāne, where those who haven’t yet dropped their voting papers off, can drive-through, drop off their papers, pick up a sausage, give us a toot and continue on their merry way without even getting out of their car.”
If you’re still wanting a little more information on the candidates standing, candidate profiles are included with the voting packs and are also available at whakatane.govt.nz/beagamechanger along with information about special voting.
Meet the candidate hui are still underway. Check out your local residents association or service clubs (such as Lions) to see what’s on offer.
Once voting starts, daily vote returns will be available from electionz.com. Preliminary results are expected somewhere around 1pm on 8 October.