Find out about standing for your council

‘‘The candidates information evening usually attracts a small turn out.’’

Anyone thinking about becoming a city councillor for Upper Hutt can learn about what is involved at a information meeting tomorrow evening.

Nominations for the upcoming postal election for the Upper Hutt mayoralty and 10 councillor positions are already open.

However up until yesterday afternoon nobody had put their name forward.

Upper Hutt City Council deputy electoral officer Wendy Lewin said the slow pick up was not unusual.

She expects the majority of the nominations to come near the deadline of noon on August 12.

This was the case three years ago where, after little early action, there was a rush with 28 people nominated for the city’s 10 councillor position.

Upper Hutt has a First Past The Post voting system.

In Upper Hutt, all candidate names are listed alphabetically on the voting paper.

People voting in the threeweek postal elections can chose up to 10 names out of the candidates’ list.

A separate vote will also be needed for the Upper Hutt mayoralty if Wayne Guppy, the city’s top politician since 2001, is challenged.

Mary Amour, a city councillor since 2007, has announced she is not standing this year so so one fresh face, at least, is guaranteed for the new 2016-19 Upper Hutt council.

As the nominations come in, they will be published on the Elections 2016 page on the Upper Hutt City Council website.

Standing for council comes at a up-front cost.

All candidates pay a $200 nomination fee. This is refunded if the candidate gets 25 percent of the vote count of the lowest successful candidate, the tenth highest for Upper Hutt.

Candidates are also asked to supply a 150-word profile and photo. These are published in a handbook sent out with the voting papers.

Lewin said the candidates information evening usually attracts a small turn out.

‘‘It’s the information about the things they have to do right with nominating.’’

‘‘It is also a chance for people to find out what is involved in being a councillor and what is expected of them,’’ Lewin said.’’

Candidates Information meeting. Civil Defence Room, Council Admin Building, tomorrow 6pm