Local body elections 2019: No contest for some Northland Regional Council seats

Tuesday, 20 August 2019

Being paid to vote is one of the ideas put forward as a way to get more people voting in this year's local body elections.

Two Northland Regional Council candidates have been elected unopposed in this year's local body elections after a dearth of nominations in their areas.

Justin Blaikie and Penny Smart were elected on Wednesday morning, to take office on October 22.

They represent the Hokianga-Kaikohe and Kaipara constituencies, respectively, and are both incumbent councillors.

Penny Smart looks set to represent Kaipara again on the Northland Regional Council.

Kaipara District Council candidates Jonathan Larsen and Peter Wethey have also been elected unopposed as councillors in the Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Ward.

**READ MORE:

Justin Blaikie is unopposed in his Kaikohe-Hokianga seat on the Northland Regional Council.

* Local body elections 2019: Whangārei, Kaipara and Far North council candidates

* Error may have led to low number of nominations for Far North council boards

Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd is standing once again in his Coastal North constituency.

* Opshop singer Jason Kerrison throws hat into Northland council race

* Your Place survey: Tell us what matters most to you in your town**

Several of the Far North District Council's community board positions are also guaranteed, although confirmation will have to wait until the councillor positions are confirmed.

Candidates are allowed to stand for mayor, council and the community board in the Far North but, if successful, must take the highest position for which they are elected.

Meanwhile, a total of 19 candidates were nominated for the Northland Regional Council.

The remaining candidates are:

Coastal Central constituency (one seat): Maureen Adair, Maggie Buxton, incumbent Paul Dimery, Jeroen Jongejans, Amy Macdonald, Colin Peter Thew.

Coastal North constituency (two seats): Marty Robinson, Dover Samuels, incumbent chairman Bill Shepherd, incumbent Jocelyn Yeoman.

Rachel Smith is standing for both a council and community board position on the Far North District Council.

Coastal South constituency (one seat): David Lourie, incumbent Rick Stolwerk.

Te Hiku constituency (one seat): incumbent Mike Finlayson, Colin 'Toss' Kitchen.

Whangārei Urban constituency (two seat): incumbent John Bain, Jack Craw, incumbent David Sinclair.

MIXED BAG FOR COMMUNITY BOARDS

Current Far North District Council Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board chairman Mike Edmonds is standing once again in the Kaikohe subdivision.

The nominations for the Far North District Council's three community boards shows a flurry of last-minute nominations, meaning all seats are likely to be filled.

That is unless some of the candidates are also successful in running for a seat on council, which could leave some gaps.

Current Te Hiku Community Board chairwoman Adele Gardner is standing once again in the Kaitaia subdivision.

The candidates for the community boards are as follows, with candidates also running for council nominated by an asterisk:

Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board: Kerikeri Subdivision (three seats): incumbent Lane Ayr, Frank Owen and incumbent Rachel Smith*.

Kawakawa-Moerewa (one): Lucie Green and incumbent Manuwai Wells.

Paihia (one): incumbent deputy chair Belinda Ward and Steve Wilce.

Ensuring Whangarei Hospital runs on budget is one of the considerations for the Northland District Health Board.

Russell-Opua (one): Manuela Gmuer-Hornell, Gray Phillips and Wiki Walker.

Whangaroa (one): Ruth Heta* and incumbent Bruce Mills.

Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board: Kaikohe Subdivision (three seats): David Adams, Laurie Byers, incumbent chair Mike Edmonds, Mara Pickery, Lily Rawson*, incumbent Shaun Kavanagh Reilly, Moko Tepania and incumbent Kelly Van Gallen.

North Hokianga (one): incumbent deputy chair Emma Davis and Richard Nahi.

South Hokianga (two): incumbents Alan Philip Hessell and Louis Toorenburg*.

Te Hiku Community Board: Doubtless Bay Subdivision (one seat): Sheryl Bainbridge, incumbent Nuu Ward and Martin Yuretich.

Kaitaia Subdivision (three): Jaqi Brown*, incumbent chair Adele Gardner, incumbent Bronwyn Hunt, Lyle Richard Painting*, David Senior, John Stewart.

North Cape Subdivision (one): Darren Car Axe.

Whatuwhiwhi Subdivision (one): incumbent Lawrie Atkinson, Eddie Bellas and Whetu Rutene.

HEALTHY FIELD FOR DHB

Meanwhile, a total of 20 people have put up their hands for seven seats on the Northland District Health Board. A further four may be appointed by the Minister of Health.

A number of the candidates are also standing in their local councils or for the Northland Regional Council, which is permitted under the electoral rules.

The candidates, who are elected at large, are:

Incumbent John Bain, Bill Bradford, Harko Brown, Paul Brownlie, Jeffrey Burson, Steve Capper, Vince Cocurullo, Shaun Curtis, Kyle Eggleton, incumbent Debbie Evans, incumbent Libby Jones, Babe Kapa, Lucina Kaukau, incumbent chair Sally Macauley, Carol Peters, Niki Tauhara, Stephen Torrington from Stop Trashing Our Planet, John VujcIch, Donna Washbrook and Sophia Xiao-Colley.