Nominations close at 12pm on Friday, 1 August, and late nominations are not being accepted. Photo: NZ ELECTORAL COMMISSION
If you're considering having a crack at local government elections, you'll need to put down the shades, cat and baby for your candidate photo.
Potential candidates are being reminded of a few pitfalls ahead of nominations opening for local government elections on 4 July.
Speaking to a Kaikōura District Council workshop this week, electionz.com electoral officer Warwick Lampp said candidates needed to submit a passport sized photo with their 150 word profile.
The photo needs to be of your head and shoulders, with no sunglasses, no hat and not accompanied by whānau, pets, friends or kissing a baby.
Candidates must be a New Zealand citizen. You do not need to reside in the district(s) you choose to stand in - but your two nominees do.
If you or your partner hold a contract of more than $25,000 for your local council you cannot stand, unless you have prior approval from the Auditor-General.
Nominations close at 12pm on Friday, August 1, and Lampp said no late nominations were accepted.
''Remember, if you are sending it by email, it is not the time you send it, but the time it lands in the council's email system.
''It has to be in the hands of the electoral officer by 12 noon, so if you are emailing at 11.59am, it probably won't arrive in the returning officer's inbox until 12.01pm.
''If you are in the door it can be processed at 12 noon, provided there are no issues, because you won't have time to fix them.''
Once nominations close, you are on the ballot paper, Lampp said.
''It does happen that people have to withdraw because of ill-health or death or another reason.''
In 2019, Seven Sharp journalist Julian Lee got himself nominated for the Mackenzie district mayoralty while working on a story.
He failed to withdraw his nomination in time and ended up running ''a don't vote for me'' campaign, Lampp said.
''It actually boosted the voter turnout as it meant there was a mayoral contest.''
Lampp said orange ballot boxes were set to become a common feature in this year's local government elections as councils look to make it easier for people to vote.
''Orange ballot boxes are the way to go these days because of the pressures on the postal service.''
Kaikōura District Council deputy electoral officer Becky Makin said orange bins would be located at strategic locations around the district.
Voting papers are posted out from 9 September, with voting closing at midday on Saturday, 11 October.
A telephone dictation service is available from the Electoral Commission to assist those who are unable to read the voting papers.
Christchurch-based electionz.com Ltd runs the elections for several councils around the country, including the Kaikōura district.
There will be elections for mayor, seven councillors elected at large, and two Environment Canterbury councillors in the North Canterbury constituency.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
