2010 Dunedin Mayoral race

Dunedin student Niko Elsen might be fighting an uphill battle - trying to stimulate student interest in local government - but the third-year politics and design student has combined his talents to do just that.

For the first time in more than a decade, there is an increase in interest in voting for local authorities.

Dunedin voters have until noon on Saturday to decide who they want on their city council. We asked three Otago Daily Times readers what small projects the council should concentrate on as it avoids big projects to cut debt from its peak of $337 million next year.

Fewer Otago residents have indicated they plan to vote in this year's local body elections than any other region, a poll shows.

Smiles rather than spreadsheets were the focus of the latest Dunedin mayoral forum, when candidates were asked yesterday how they might contribute to the happiness of citizens.

A claim by a mayoral and council candidate 400 Dunedin City Council staff should be cut to bring the size of the council closer to that of Tauranga appears to be based on incorrect figures.

I recieved my Local Elections 2010 voting papers earlier last week, ironically on the day in history when the first female member of Parliament, Elizabeth McCombs, was sworn in.

Dunedin city councillor Dave Cull appears to be leading a two-horse race with Mayor Peter Chin in the battle for the city's top job.

It verged on stand-up comedy and contained a strong element of amateur theatre, but Dunedin's mayoral aspirants each did their best to woo voters at the Otago Daily Times/Otago Chamber of Commerce Dunedin mayoral candidates forum.

Dunedin mayoral candidate Lee Vandervis says it is lucky nobody was killed, after a volunteer installing one of his giant election swings sliced into a buried 11,000-volt power cable near Mosgiel.

Cafe-bar owner and coffee roaster Olivier Lequeux says he will work for nothing - if he has to - to encourage councillors to keep city rates where they are.

What do you know about the candidates who are contesting Dunedin's mayoral campaign in the 2010 local body elections? Today, in the final Mayoral Profile, David Loughrey puts the questions to Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin.

In six weeks, Dunedin residents will have the opportunity to have their say on the city's future at the 2010 local government elections. Dunedin City Council reporter David Loughrey looks at the council's record in the last triennium, considers the issues that will dominate the election, and asks: Does the council listens to its citizens?

What do you know about the candidates who are contesting Dunedin's mayoral campaign in the 2010 local body elections? Today, in the second of a seven-part Mayoral Profile series, Chris Morris puts the questions to Lee Vandervis.

Student radio broadcaster Aaron Hawkins (26) is stepping out from behind the microphone, hoping to pursue his passion for politics and change Dunedin for the better.