Election booklet blunder

An Auckland Council candidate is concerned an election pamphlet blunder may cost him votes.

Peter Haynes, who is running for Albert-Eden-Roskill, opened his election booklet this week to find that it said he wasn’t a resident in the ward he was standing in.

Haynes lives in the suburb of Mt Eden - in the middle of his ward area - and had carefully made sure he did not leave out that detail when he filled in his form.

‘‘I know for a fact that people factor in where a candidate lives into their decision making,’’ the current Albert-Eden Local Board chairman says. ’’It will cost me votes.’’

Haynes is also running for the Albert-Eden Local Board (Maungawhau Subdivision) and says that he correctly said he was a resident in the board area.

In 2013, Parliament legislated for the declaration of a candidate’s residential area and to have them included in election papers.

‘‘If Parliament felt that it was important enough to legislate to include this piece of information, then clearly they must have felt that it makes a difference,’’ Haynes says.

Haynes has contacted the electoral office who admitted the mistake and apologised.

Electoral Officer Dale Ofsoske says the error was not picked up in proofing and has been corrected on the website and a correction will be published in the public notices.