She will officially resign from her role as a district councillor today and also submit her nomination for the vacant Dunstan ward seat on the regional council. The seat was left vacant by the death of her mother, Maggie Lawton, last month.
So far, former regional councillor Gary Kelliher, of Alexandra, is the only other candidate running for the seat.
Mr Kelliher, who served one term on the regional council, missed out on one of the three Dunstan seats by just five votes at last year’s local body elections, being beaten by Cr Michael Laws.
Nominations for the Dunstan by-election close at noon on Monday.
At yesterday’s full district council meeting in Lake Hawea, Cr Lawton thanked her fellow councillors for their support and help during her three and a-half years on the council.
A by-election will be called for her Wanaka ward seat and former district councillor Jude Battson has announced she will run.
