Fewer than half of Upper Clutha electors cast their votes in the recent local body elections. 

A recent breakdown from Electionnz showed just 43.05 percent of the Queenstown Lakes electors took the time to vote. 

With 44.93 percent of the 11,039 Upper Clutha electors voting, the turnout was higher here than in the Queenstown-Wakatipu Ward (38.48 percent), but a little lower than the Arrowtown-Kawarau Ward (45.64 percent).

QLDC media and channels advisor Sam White told the Wānaka App the turnout within the district was below the 2019 return but above the national average.

“But obviously we’re disappointed it wasn’t higher despite our various local campaigns in print, online and radio that encouraged people firstly to put themselves forward as candidates and then to get out and vote,” he said. 

A QLDC representative encouraged everyone, whether they had voted in the election or not, to continue engaging with QLDC and elected members. 

“It’s been a common trend for some years now, both in New Zealand and around the world, so it’s certainly not limited to our district.”

A preliminary analysis from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) indicated that just 36-39  percent of eligible Kiwis cast their vote in the elections. 

The organisation, which supports and advocates for councils across New Zealand, is calling on central government to review how elections can be delivered more consistently and effectively, including communication, engagement and the practicality of postal voting.

It is among a range of groups and individuals that have called for change - with other suggestions ranging from introducing online voting to simplifying consultation processes - following another drop in turnout (in 2019 the national turnout was 42.2 percent). 

“We want to see a short, sharp and independent review that should feed into the Future for Local Government Review as well as the review of Parliamentary Electoral Law,” LGNZ chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene said.

Shortly before voting closed the Wānaka App spoke to residents who hadn’t voted and asked them why.

LGNZ chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene has called on the government for an independent review into the low voter turnout nationally.

“I don’t know who to vote for"; “I’m struggling to find a mayoral candidate I support”; “I had no idea we were meant to be voting - I’m not very good at that sort of stuff”; and “I haven’t read the information properly yet” were some of the responses. 

Sam said the council encouraged everyone, whether they had voted in the election or not, to continue engaging with QLDC and elected members. 

“There are many ways to do this including speaking in public forum before meetings, going to a Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board drop-in session, having your say online via our Let’s Talk website and following QLDC on social media,” he said.

Find out about the newly elected representatives here.

PHOTO: Supplied