It’s local government election time again. It can all seem a bit complicated and hard to figure out who does what, so fear not! We have put together a comprehensive guide to help you choose whose name to put your precious ticks beside. Click here to read what the candidates told us they think are the key priorities in Meadowbank and St Johns and how they would support them.
We are holding a Meet the Candidate evening on 10th September at 7pm at St Chads Church, 38 St Johns Rd. Come along and hear what the candidates have to say so you can make an informed choice.
Why should I vote? Voting in the local elections is important if you are interested in things like:
- the quality of water from your tap and at your local beaches
- making it safer for cyclists and pedestrians around Auckland
- play spaces for children in your local parks
- what cultural and sporting events are taking place near you
- the rates you pay and the services and assets they pay for
- a range of other things, like bus timetables, checking building are built properly, restaurant health rules, alcohol licences, public art and rules around where you can walk your dog.
How and when do I vote? Voting starts 20 September with a postal vote, closing on 12 October 2019. If you have received your orange enrollment update pack at the end of June you are enrolled to vote, but of not click here to get enrolled before Friday 11 October. Your voting papers will be sent to you around 20th September.
How does Auckland Council work? You can find out more about how Auckland Council works here. We will be electing seven Orakei Local Board (OLB) members, one councillor for Orakei Ward or Maungakiekie-Tamaki Ward (depending on where you live) and one mayor. There are also elections for Auckland District Health Board run at the same time.
What do the Local Board and Ward Councillors do? Click here to read about the roles and for local boards for councillors.
What is my local board and ward area? Meadowbank and St Johns suburbs both sit within the Orakei Local Board area (shown by the red line in the map above). The ward boundaries are different, with the eastern part of St Johns that is east of College Rd now part of the Maungakiekie-Tamaki Ward (light blue on the map), and the rest of Meadowbank and the St Johns Park area sitting within the Orakei Ward (brown on the map). This means for some residents living in a part of St Johns, you will be represented by Orakei Local Board and Maungakiekie-Tamaki Ward.
Where can I get more information? Some useful websites are Vote Auckland as well as Vote NZ on information about how to get enrolled.