Postal voting opens this week for a Community Board seat representing the Christchurch City Council’s Central ward.

Voting papers for the Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board by-election are due to land in local letterboxes from Thursday, with voting closing at noon on Friday, 16 October.

Progress results will be available that afternoon – a day before the general election to elect the Government.

Long-term representative Sally Buck previously held the Central seat for the Community Board.

Christchurch City Council Electoral Officer Jo Daly says “It’s important to remember that this by-election is all about the local level of community representation, which makes it very relevant to the everyday lives of people in the Central ward.”

“With the by-election, people are voting for a community leader to provide a strong voice for the Central ward on the Community Board, which decides what happens at grassroots level.”

“When your papers arrive, remember that only the local by-election is held by post.

The general election allows in-person voting. However, you do not need to enrol separately to vote in both.

“Once you are enrolled, you can vote in the Community Board by-election from Thursday until noon on 16 October, and the general election on Saturday, 17 October,” she says.

Each enrolled voter in the Central ward will receive a voting form, a candidate profile booklet, and a pre-paid return envelope.

Seven candidates are vying for the Community Board Central ward spot:

• Clive Antony (Independent Citizens)

• Faimeh Burke (Independent)

• Celeste Donovan (Independent)

• Sunita Gautam (Labour)

• Wayne Hawker (Independent)

• Paul Lonsdale (Independent)

• John Stringer (Independent)

To ensure that your vote arrives before closing time, post it by 5pm on Monday, 12 October.

You can also deliver completed voting paper to the Christchurch City Council Civic Offices, 53 Hereford Street, or the Linwood Library and Service Centre, before the close of voting at noon on 16 October.

If you are not enrolled, you can go to the Electoral Commission site, call 0800 36 76 56, or free-text your name and address to 3676.

If you own property in the Central ward but live outside the Community Board area and want to enrol as a ratepayer elector, please contact the Electoral Officer.

For further information, go to ccc.govt.nz/elections.