The Newtown Residents’ Association has organised two local body election meetings – one for the Greater Wellington Regional Council candidates on Tuesday 13th September and a joint one for Paekawakawa/Southern Ward and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward candidates on Monday 26th September.  In past years we have served supper at these meetings but this year we are making an extra effort to minimise the risks of Covid infection, so we are forgoing supper and we are encouraging attendees to keep wearing masks!

These meetings are an opportunity to put faces to the names of candidates and hear their thoughts about why you should vote for them. Voting papers are being posted from September 16th, and need to be submitted by midday on Saturday October 8th – either by post or dropped in to one of the specially marked ballot boxes – see https://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/elections/2022-elections/information-for-voters/how-to-vote for voting details, including how to make a special vote if you need to do this.

Tuesday 13th September 2022, Meet the Candidates for the Greater Wellington Regional Council – Salvation Army Hall, 4 Normanby St, Newtown. Doors open at 6.30pm, meeting starts at 7pm sharp. Patrick Morgan will be facilitating. There are 12 people wanting to represent Wellington on the Greater Wellington Regional Council, with 5 seats available. How will you know who to vote for? Come to our meeting, put faces to the names and hear what they propose to do if elected.

What does the GWRC do? If you want a better bus or train service, clean drinking water, effective flood protection and emergency services, then this is the Council responsible! See https://www.gw.govt.nz – and here for the list of candidates –https://elections.gw.govt.nz/candidates/ Click on each name to read about the person.

Monday 26th September 2022, Meet the Candidates for the Wellington City Council Paekawakawa/Southern Ward and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward – Salvation Army Hall. 4 Normanby St, doors open at 6.30 pm and meeting starts at 7.00pm sharp. Robin Payne will be facilitating.  There are 10 people standing for 2 Paekawakawa/Southern Ward seats, and 3 for 1 Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward seat.

You can see all the candidates for Wellington City Council here –https://wellington.govt.nz/…/info…/candidate-information . Click on a person’s name to find out more information about them.

As yet we haven’t organised a meeting for Mayoral Candidates. There are so many Ward candidates to hear from that we decided not to try and add the Mayoral candidates to the same meeting.

One alternative possibility is a meeting on 5th September, 6-7.30pm at St Peters Church in Willis St, organised by Inner City Wellington, where Paul Eagle, Andy Foster and Tory Whanau will be speaking- Here’s the Eventbrite link.

Another possibility is the ‘It’s in the Ballot’ Mayoral Candidates Meeting, September 7th 6.30-9.30pm. ‘It’s in the Ballot’ is a spin off of the TV Show, It’s in the Bag, where the Candidates pick boxes and answer the questions inside the sealed boxes. The show is broadcast live, on Facebook, Youtube and Twitch, and you can also attend in person at Khandallah Town Hall & Cornerstone Community Centre

See https://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/elections/2022-elections/information-for-voters/candidate-events/community-candidate-events for more events, including an ‘It’s in the Ballot’ show for Paekawakawa/Southern Ward on 18th September 6.30pm, online or at Te Whaea – National Dance & Drama Centre – Rm D10