Local government election season is about to begin, with candidate nominations set to open tomorrow.
And the battle lines have already been drawn between several prospective candidate team tickets.
These include Greens-endorsed Mr Hawkins, Marie Laufiso (incumbent DCC), and ORC candidate Alan Somerville; Labour-endorsed Steve Walker (incumbent DCC) and Joy Davis (incumbent Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board chairwoman); and Team Dunedin endorsed Mr Radich and Andrew Whiley (incumbent DCC).
Dunedin City Council deputy electoral officer Clare Sullivan expects about 80 to 100 people to stand for the local body elections, vying for places on the Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council, as well as six local community boards.
"We are keen to encourage diversity among candidates, and for people to stand from across the community," she said.
The candidate nomination period will last for a month, closing at noon on Friday, August 12.
"On that day, the electoral roll also closes for people who wish to receive their voting papers in the mail," Ms Sullivan said.
Those who have not registered to vote by this time will need to cast a special vote.
To stand for Dunedin’s local body elections, candidates must be New Zealand citizens, live in Dunedin and have two people to nominate them who are over 18 and registered to vote in the area.
People wishing to stand for community boards must be nominated by two people who live in the particular board area.
There were requirements for the process, so she urged candidates to avoid the pitfall of leaving it too late to put in their nomination.
"If people leave it to the last minute and there is a problem with their nomination, there may not be enough time to correct it," she said.
On July 1, the requirement for candidates to publish their personal details in election advertising was removed.
Associate Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty said previous rules required a physical address on electoral advertisements, which opened up threats of harm to candidates and might have discouraged women, rural people and others from stepping up as candidates.
Mr McAnulty said options now were a physical address, an email address, a telephone number, a PO box number or a website address that included another contact option.
"This creates a safer playing field for all candidates so that no-one is discouraged from standing," he said.
"We want a wide range of people to put themselves forward to represent the many diverse communities within this country."
Ms Sullivan said candidate handbooks and nomination forms were available on the DCC and Otago Regional Council websites, and there would also be hard copies available.
A temporary office would be opened on the ground floor of the Civic Centre in the Octagon, to take nominations.
In addition, a seminar for prospective local body candidates will be held on Wednesday, July 27, from 6pm in the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum auditorium.
Speakers will discuss the role of councillors and community board members, and will be able to answer questions about the nomination process.
Voting papers will be posted out from September 16, and the local body election will close at noon on Saturday, October 8.
