With nominations closing at 12 noon tomorrow (Friday 1 August), Raglan is on track for a local election with barely any competition and a striking lack of gender balance.
Only six candidates have been confirmed so far for the Raglan Community Board, five of whom are men. Returning board members Ross Wallis, Dennis Amoore, Satnam Bains, and Chris Rayner are standing again, joined by newcomers Nick Pierce and Nicola Laboyrie, who has been active in the HAAW group campaigning for horse access to local beaches.
But with six seats on the board, just one more nomination is needed to trigger a public vote. Without it, all six will be elected unopposed.
Meanwhile, Lisa Thomson remains the only confirmed candidate for Waikato District Councillor in the Whāingaroa Ward. No challengers have come forward and with no murmurs of others entering the race, she may also be re-elected without contest.
Across the district, only two nominations have been received for Mayor, and just four for the two Waikato Regional Council positions in the Waikato constituency, with the deadline looming.
If you’ve ever thought about stepping up, now is the moment. Nomination forms and information are available on the Waikato District Council website.
If an election is triggered, voting will take place by postal ballot, with papers sent out in September.