Councils across the country are concerned over the number of local government roles that won’t be filled or will go uncontested ahead of this year’s elections.
With seats outnumbering candidates, councils are scrambling to get people to put their names forward before nominations close at the end of the week.
Smaller rural councils are feeling the deficit the most. Mackenzie District Council currently has 19 vacancies and just three nominees.
Queenstown Lakes electoral officer Jane Robertson says there is usually a rush of nominations in the last week before they close, but she has "never known it to be as slow as this".
If there are no candidates in some wards, by-elections will be held at the taxpayers’ expense.
"That would be around about next February, at the cost of $60,000," said Robertson.
There is a particular focus on urging more Māori candidates to take up roles in the 32 Māori wards across the country.
“Aotearoa and our sector is ready for more diverse, more inclusive and amazingly skilled people to be putting their hands up,” said South Taranaki Community Board member Bonita Bigham.
Nominations for local government close at midday on Friday.
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