[click on photos for more; photos in
random order]
Signs proliferated in
strategic locations around the city and suburbs,
raising awareness of the candidates running and
the campaign being waged. From corflutes to
street posters (>)
and billboards (>) to
buses (>), signs
were noted from 11 of the 14 candidates for Mayor
and eight of the 10 candidates for ORC.
Basic elements
include the candidate's name and photo, the office
sought, and a disclaimer. Signs may also
include a slogan or tag line, website address, and
other creative touches. There are DCC rules on election signage
including requirements that signs "be removed by
midnight prior to election or polling day."
OTAGO REGIONAL
COUNCIL
[click on photos
for more; photos in random
order]
MORE
WHO: Mayor, 14 Councillors, Community
Boards, and Otago Regional Council.
Revised 31 October - Top
issues in the 2025 local body
elections included rate increases, DCC
debt, infrastructure needs, quality,
affordable housing, and the state of
the economy. The
highest profile race was for mayor of
Dunedin. A record sixteen candidates
ran for the position; incumbent Mayor
Jules Radich, City Councillor Sophie
Barker, businessman Andrew Simms, and City
Councillor Lee Vandervis were seen as the
frontrunners. Fifty-four candidates
ran for the 14 Council positions; this
included those running for both Mayor and
Council. One DCC member, David
Benson-Pope, was retiring. The six
community boards in Dunedin City, each
with six elected members, were up. Finally, ten
candidates ran for the five Dunedin
Constituency positions (down from six in
the previous election) on the ORC.
Results
showed a move for change. Mayor
Radich lost his bid for a second term,
as Councillor Barker narrowly edged
businessman Simms. For the DCC,
five incumbents were defeated (Bill
Acklin, Kevin Gilbert, Carmen Houlahan,
Jim O'Malley, and Andrew Whiley) and six
new members (Andrew Simms,
John Chambers, Russell Lund, Mickey
Treadwell, Benedict Ong, and Doug Hall)
were elected.Electoral
Officer Anthony Morton reported, "The
voter return was 45.47%, being 43,310
voting papers, including special votes." Results
for the ORC showed two incumbents
defeated (Tim Mepham and Elliot Weir)
and two new members elected (Hilary
Calvert and Chanel Gardner).
Dunedin Area Citizens
Association organized many candidate forums.
VOTING
94,728 people are enrolled to vote in
Dunedin's local body elections. The elections
are run by electionsnz.com; a DCC official, Robyn
Dillon, has been seconded to coordinate the effort
and is serving a nine-month stint as DCC Deputy
Electoral Officer. Voting runs 9 September to
mid-day on 11 October 2025. In addition to
voting by mail, voters can put their ballots in one
of 26 voting bins situated around the city in
locations such as the New World supermarket and the
DCC building. Turnout
is a concern; for the last three local body
elections the turnout rate has been below 50%—
45.17% in 2016, 45.60% in 2019, and 48.22% in
2022. (more photos)
