Bowen big leader in mayoralty poll

Nigel Bowen is a clear favourite to win the Timaru District mayoralty according to unofficial polling on Stuff.

If the Timaru businessman is successful, it will complete a rapid rise in local body politics, having been first elected to the district council two years ago in a byelection.

Stuff has conducted two unscientific polls over the past few months – one before nominations closed and one after – and both, with the question ‘‘If the election was held today, who would you vote for?’’ had Bowen ahead with more than 50 per cent support.

The most recent of those polls gave Bowen 52 per cent, while former mayor Janie Annear and Gordon Handy were tied on 20 per cent with Kari (AJ) Mohoao and Shane Wilson on 4 per cent.

Bowen’s by-election win in September 2017 was equally as dominant when he received 5241 of the 10,483 votes cast as only 45 per cent of eligible voters actually voted.

With polling due to close on October 12, early voting figures from the Timaru District Council show 31.1 per cent of eligible voters have so far made their decision.

The 31.1 per cent figure from yesterday afternoon is ahead of the 29.7 per cent received at the same stage in the 2016 triennial local body election but behind 2013’s 31.8 per cent and 2010’s 36 per cent.

The returns so far indicate well over half of those who intend to vote have already made their decision as just 48.94 per cent of voters enrolled chose to vote in 2016 while in 2013 it was 51.16 per cent and 56.53 per cent in 2010. Vote returns out of the 33,654 enrolled to vote show 10,426 had by yesterday afternoon.

I Waimate and Mackenzie are behind voting levels recorded at this stage in 2016.

Waimate has received 28.5 per cent which trails 2016’s 30.2 per cent level at the same stage and the 2013 return of 32.9 per cent.

Mackenzie’s return levels also sit at 28.5 per cent, well behind 41.4 per cent in 2016 and 39.6 per cent in 2013.