Voting in the local elections is now just three weeks away and voters can find profiles and videos of those standing in the Ashburton District online at voteashburton.nz.

Meet-the-candidate events are another way to learn more about the people who will have a big impact on our lives over the next three years, and following one meeting in Methven last night, there’s one organised in the Ashburton College auditorium on 27 August, at 7pm.

Chief Executive Hamish Riach said the Ashburton event would feature the four candidates standing for mayor, and the nine standing for the Ashburton ward.

“The event will be livestreamed, which means you can watch it on the night, or later on our Facebook and You Tube channels. These events are a really great way for people to get an idea of who the candidates are and what they stand for.”

There will be time after the meeting to meet the candidates in person, and chat over a hot drink.

Council’s dedicated webpage for the local elections, voteashburton.nz, also has candidate statements and videos where people can learn more about the people and the process of electing a new council and mayor. In the videos, candidates have 90 seconds to answer three questions.

Voting packs will start arriving in mailboxes from Tuesday 9 September and voting closes - noon, Saturday 11 October.

Mr Riach said voting turnout across the country had been trending down over the past decade.

“We want people to engage with local democracy and so we’re doing our best to give voters easy ways to find about more about the candidates and take part in the local elections.”

Completed voting papers can be mailed back in the postage-paid return envelope provided with voting documents or dropped into any of the six orange ballot bins that will be located around the district.

When voting opens on 9 September, orange voting bins will be at:

• Te Whare Whakatere/Ashburton District Council (two bins - customer services and library)
• EA Networks Centre – 20 River Terrace, Ashburton
• Fresh Choice Tinwald – 124 McMurdo Street, Tinwald
• Methven Four Square – 33/37 McMillan Street, Methven
• Rakaia Mobil – 50 Bridge Street, Rakaia