QLDC nominations close with six vying for mayor

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Nominations for positions at Queenstown Lakes District Council have closed today with a crowded field vying to replace outgoing mayor Jim Boult.

Every seat will be contested in the elections following a surge in nominations in the final two days.

QLDC’s electoral officer Jane Robertson said she had a busy morning dealing with the last-minute rush of nominations.

“We now have plenty of candidates and that’s really pleasing.”

Ms Robertson said the focus would now be on encouraging people to vote with a big campaign by QLDC kicking off soon, including a competition for young adults to design a poster to increase voter participation.

“We strongly encourage people to learn about the different candidates and what they stand for. There are upcoming candidate debates, hosted by organisations such as Ignite Wānaka and the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce," she said.

Voting papers will be sent out in mid-September for their return by Saturday October 8.

Special votes are available to people who are not enrolled but qualify to vote, for people who did not receive voting papers in the mail, or whose papers have been spoilt or damaged, and for those whose name appears on the unpublished electoral roll.

A person can make a special vote by popping into the QLDC Wānaka office at 47 Ardmore Street, or the Queenstown office at 10 Gorge Road between Friday September 16 and Saturday October 8.