Three-way race: Former Selwyn mayor to stand against incumbant, new candidate

Bill Woods, Sam Broughton and Calvin Payne will vie for the mayoralty in October’s local body elections. Photos: Supplied

There will be three candidates vying for the Selwyn mayoralty in October’s local body elections.

Malvern Community Board member and former mayor candidate Bill Woods has confirmed he will stand, while incumbent Sam Broughton has now submitted his nomination, joining new candidate Calvin Payne in standing for the role.

Nominations for the local body elections closed at noon on Friday.

Woods told the Selwyn Times he was standing for mayor again as he wanted to offer an alternative to the status quo.

He said Payne was not offering that as he had said he did not want to win the mayoralty.

“How can he be an alternative, if he’s going to vote for the incumbent? What a load of tripe,” Woods said.

At the last election, Woods was the only candidate standing against Broughton. He polled 4485 votes, compared to 12,041 for Broughton.

Meanwhile, the two Malvern Ward district councillors - Jenny Gallagher and Bob Mugford - face a battle to save their seats, with at least four new candidates having been nominated in the two-seat ward.

Two new candidates have also come on board for the three-seat Rolleston Ward, which is the current Selwyn Central ward with district councillors Sophie McInnes, Jeff Bland, Nicole Reid and Mark Alexander. Of these four current district councillors, none have put in their nominations. However, Jeff Bland has said he is not standing for re-election, while Sophie McInnes and Nicole Reid have said they will stand for re-election.

The four new candidates in the Malvern Ward are Andrea Clemens, Lydia Gliddon, Samantha Samuel and Samuel Wilshire.

The two new candidates in the Rolleston Ward are Calvin Payne and Moneel Pratap.

The remaining wards of Ellesmere (two seats) and Springs (three seats) had just one nomination each as of Friday morning last week, both from current councillors Shane Epiha and Malcolm Lyall respectively. The five-seat Malvern Community Board had two nominations of Calvin Payne and Ken May.

The district council will see just 10 councillors this time round, after a recent representation review reduced the number from 11.

Selwyn Central Ward is to be replaced by the smaller Rolleston Ward, while West Melton moves from the former Selwyn Central Ward to the Malvern Ward.

The nominations as at noon, Friday, August 12:

Mayoralty

Sam Broughton

(1 Vacancy)

Calvin Payne (Know Payne - Know Gain)

Bill Woods

Ellesmere Ward

Elle Archer (Independent)

(2 Vacancies)

Shane Epiha (Independent)