Only one seat uncontested for regional, NP elections

A late surge of candidates has been received for the Taranaki Regional Council and the New Plymouth District Council local body elections.

There had been fears some ward seats would not reach the required number, forcing by-elections in February.

However, after nominations closed on Friday, only the South Taranaki District Council will require a by-election for a vacant seat in the

Hāwera ward.

The Taranaki

Regional Council will have contestable wards in each of constituencies, the exception being the

Māori seat, which received the nomination of Bonita

Bigham (pictured) only.

Every sitting councillor bar chairman David MacLeod and deputy chairman Michael Joyce have put their names forward for another term.

Joining the list of candidates for the first time is prominent New Plymouth lawyer Susan Hughes QC who is one of 11 vying for five New Plymouth seats.

Former South Taranaki mayor and Witt chairwoman Mary Bourke has also decided to stand for the single Stratford

seat against incumbent Matthew McDonald, Alan Jamieson and Andrew Wood.

New Plymouth will be the last of Taranaki’s councils to release a list of candidate names on Wednesday, however, it did release the number of candidates on Monday.

There will be eight candidates for the mayoralty, up from six in 2019, while 17 candidates will stand for six seats in the Kaitake-Ngāmotu ward.

The one nomination received for the Kōhanga Moa ward will be elected unopposed while two candidates will vie for the two North ward seats.

There have also been two nominations for the newly established Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa ward seat while 19 candidates have put their names forward for five at large seats.

Overall, there were 41 nominations for council compared to 38 in 2019.