Local Voting system to change
🗳️ Whangarei District Council has decided to elect the Mayor and Councillors for the 2025 and 2028 local elections using a Single Transferable Vote system
How does STV work? 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣
Instead of putting a tick beside the candidates you want to vote for, you rank them with numbers: '1' for first choice, '2' for second choice, '3' for third choice and so on. If a voter's first choice doesn't have enough support to get in, their vote transfers to their second choice. If their second choice doesn't have enough support to get in, their vote transfers to their next choice, and so on.
Voters can still choose just 1 candidate if they prefer, but those votes wouldn't transfer if the candidate is not elected. Under STV, voters can support as many or as few candidates as they like.
The change to use STV may be overturned if 5% of the District’s electors demand a poll by 11 December 2023 to countermand August’s decision. For more information, please click "Read More"
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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83% Yes
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14.4% No
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2.6% Other - I'll share below
Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.
What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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4.6% Second half of November
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43.4% 1st December
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17.7% A week before Christmas
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33.3% Whenever you wish
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.