Postal voting papers for the local government elections and Whakatāne’s fluoride referendum will be mailed from today and should be received by all registered voters by Wednesday, 25 September. 

Postal votes can be made as soon as the papers are received, with voting open till midday on Saturday, 12 October.

Anyone who does not receive voting papers will need to cast a special vote, which can be done at the Whakatāne District Council’s Commerce Street Office, or the Murupara Service Centre, during normal opening hours. If you have recently changed address, turned 18, have lived in the Whakatāne District for over a month, or have spoilt or lost your original papers, you may apply for a special vote. 

Votes can be cast for Mayor, Ward Councillors, Community Board members in the case of Rangitāiki, Tāneatua and the Galatea Subdivision of the Murupara Community Board,  Bay of Plenty Regional Council, BOP District Health Board and the Fluoride Referendum. 

Electors are reminded that the papers involve two different voting methods. The ‘First Past the Post’ system applies to all except the BOP District Health Board and requires voters only to tick their favoured candidate or candidates. The District Health Board uses a Single Transferable Vote system (STV), which requires candidates to be ranked in order of preference from one upwards. 

Names will be listed alphabetically for the District Council positions, in the random order that they are drawn for the BOP Regional Council and in a completely random order for the District Health Board. This means that the order of names for District Health Board candidates will differ from one voting paper to another.