In Dunedin, parking arrangements have been adjusted to accommodate voters who waited until the final day to get their ballots in.
Electoral officials will be in the Octagon from 8.30am until noon today, collecting completed voting papers at designated "drop and run" locations.
These would be in the upper Octagon outside the Municipal Chambers, in George St outside the Civic Centre and in the Octagon’s central carriageway, Dunedin deputy electoral officer Clare Sullivan said.
Traffic management, including additional temporary P5 parking spaces, will be in place.
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins is up against 10 challengers for the role and four of them are city councillors from the past term — Jules Radich, Sophie Barker, Carmen Houlahan and Lee Vandervis.
The Dunedin City Council has 14 councillor positions available and 40 candidates put their names forward for them.
Some change is on its way to the Otago Regional Council.
Just three incumbent councillors are standing in the regional council’s Dunedin ward, which has six vacancies.
Queenstown Lakes will have a new mayor, after Jim Boult decided not to seek re-election after two terms.
Six candidates are vying for the role.
The Invercargill mayoralty is being pursued by 10 candidates, including Sir Tim Shadbolt, who has had the job for 24 years.
Sir Tim avoided community debates this campaign.
One mayoralty result in the South is known already, as Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan was re-elected, unopposed.
His brother Bryan Cadogan is facing three challengers for the Clutha mayoralty.
Paul Mutch is seeking to unseat Gary Kircher for the Waitaki mayoralty, Ben Bell is challenging Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks and, in Southland, incumbent mayor Gary Tong is facing five challengers.
Environment Southland had 18 nominations for 12 vacancies and elections were required in all but one of its wards.
"Given the limited time left, consider which candidates you would really like to be mayor or on council and list them in order of your preference," Prof Geddis, from the University of Otago, said.
"It may only be a small handful of people — you don’t have to choose any number in particular — but you should have your say on who you like.
"The council is going to be there for the next three years, and if you don’t vote, then it’ll be made up of councillors that other people want."
The Dunedin City Council uses the single-transferable vote for its electoral system and other councils in the South use first-past-the-post.
