Poll process update for Hawke’s Bay reorganisation proposal

24 June 2015

What has happened to date?

On 9 June the Local Government Commission issued a final reorganisation proposal for Hawke’s Bay proposing a single council for the region to replace the existing five councils (Central Hawke’s Bay, Hastings and Wairoa District Councils, Napier City Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council)
On 11 June a petition was received demanding a poll on the proposal signed by more than the required 10% of affected electors in Rangitikei District (as validated by the electoral officer for Rangitikei District)
On 18 June the Local Government Commission notified the affected councils that it had set 15 September 2015 as polling day for the proposal i.e. the end of a three-week postal voting period
On 22 June the first public notice was published notifying the public of the poll and poll date; that the electoral rolls to be used at the poll were open for inspection; and of the process for updating residential and non-residential ratepayer rolls

On 20 July the electoral rolls close and will then be printed for use at the poll
(N.B. after 20 July residents and non-resident ratepayers who are qualified to vote but are not on the roll can still apply up to 14 September to be on the roll and will be issued a special vote)
On 22 July a further public notice is published confirming arrangements for the poll including arrangements for special votes
On 24 August delivery of voting packs starts to those on the printed electoral roll with the last date for delivery being 29 August
On 24 August the voting period begins and votes are progressively processed as they are received (but are not allowed to be counted)
On 15 September (at midday) the voting period ends
On 15 September (sometime in the afternoon or evening) a preliminary result is announced
On 18 September (or before) the official result is declared after all special votes have been validated and counted

Electoral officer Warwick Lampp (wlampp@electionz.com) is responsible for the conduct of the poll including the above “next steps’’ processes and arrangements