Voters in the Ōhope Beach and Murupara Community Board by-elections have just a few postal delivery days left to make their votes count.

Voting in the by-elections closes on Tuesday, 11 February. Any eligible electors who wish to record a vote for their favoured candidates are advised to put their postal votes in the mail by Friday, or hand-deliver them to the Whakatāne District Council offices in Whakatāne or Murupara.

Five candidates – Gary Ball, Bruce Jenkins, Steve Napier, Murray Thompson and Allan Tolley – are standing for the three available positions on the Ōhope Beach Community Board, while two candidates – Daryl Christie and Carolyn Meihana – are standing for one position (representing the Murupara subdivision) on the Murupara Community Board.

After Tuesday’s mail delivery, just 33 percent (770) of the 2,311 eligible voters in the Ōhope Beach board area had returned their ballot papers. In Murupara, postal votes had been received from 22 percent (189) of the eligible voters.