Few big surprises have emerged as more than 350 candidates file nominations for Auckland council positions ahead of tomorrow’s deadline for local elections.
Wayne Brown faces eight opponents for the mayoralty, but no strong challenge from the right, with his deputy, Desley Simpson, deciding against entering the race in June.
Contesting him from the left, his strongest opponent appears to be councillor Kerrin Leoni, who was standing down from her Whau seat after one term to target the mayoralty.
Leoni previously told 1News her campaign would ramp up closer to the time of the election.
Others nominated include former New Conservatives leader Ted Johnston, the executive president of the Animal Justice Party, and multiple other independent candidates.
This year’s mayoral race contrasts starkly with the multi-way match-up voters encountered three years ago.
As of 4pm, 358 nominations had been received for candidates running in the local elections from the local board level upwards.
Among the hundreds of candidates is disgraced former National MP Jami-Lee Ross, making a foray into local government.
Two councillor wards attracted only single candidates at the time of the update — incumbent Greg Sayers in Rodney and deputy mayor Simpson in Ōrākei.
Voters in Howick and Whau would have new faces on council with long-time councillor Sharon Stewart retiring and Leoni running for the mayoralty.
Running under his new political ticket, Fix Auckland, Brown earlier teased that additional candidates could join him around the council table. Brown-affiliated candidates now include Simpson and others in the Albany and Manukau wards.
In Albany, Gary Brown and Victoria Short appeared to be angling against incumbents Wayne Walker and John Watson. Meanwhile, in Manukau, Vicky Hau and Luke Mealamu were registered to take on Labour-affiliated candidates Alf Filipaina and Lotu Fuli.
The ACT Party was also mounting challenges at council with candidates nominated at both the councillor and local board level.
Local board contests drew the bulk of the hundreds of candidates reported, with some featuring notable names, including former MP Jami-Lee Ross, who is standing for the Howick Local Board’s Flat Bush subdivision.
Ross and six others went on trial in late July on charges brought by the Serious Fraud Office.
(Source: 1News)
In 2018, Ross left the National Party in an explosive moment for then-leader Simon Bridges. He later started a short-lived political party, Advance NZ, which partnered with Billy Te Kahika’s New Zealand Public Party at the 2020 general election.
In 2022, Ross was found not guilty of electoral donations fraud after charges by the Serious Fraud Office.
Nominations for local body elections close at noon tomorrow, with voting papers to be sent to households from September 9 ahead of the final day for votes on October 11.
