Councils
Environment Southland is welcoming five newly elected councillors.
While these are the preliminary results, the special votes that are yet to be counted are unlikely to change the results.
Newcomers in the Invercargill-Rakiura constituency are Phil Morrison, who was a member of the Regional Forum, a community-based group that advised the council on methods to improve Southland’s freshwater quality; and Maurice Rodway, who was a former regional councillor from 2007 to 2019. They replace Councillors Lloyd Esler and Bonnie Mager who didn’t stand again after one term.
Alastair Gibson was elected to the Eastern-Dome regional constituency, replacing David Stevens who retired after two terms.
John Pemberton replaces deputy chairman, Lloyd McCallum in the Southern constituency, and Paul Evans replaces Allan Baird in the Fiordland constituency. Lloyd McCallum was on the Council for three terms and Allan Baird for one term.
Nicol Horrell returns unopposed in the Western constituency. He has been the chairman for the past two terms.
The inaugural Council meeting will be on 28 October, where the new council will be sworn in and elect its chairman.
The preliminary result for the Environment Southland elections held on Saturday 8th October is as follows.
Fiordland Regional Constituency (1 vacancy) Votes Received
- EVANS, Paul 946
BAIRD, Allan 483
The voter return percentage was 55.45%, being 1,578 votes, excluding special votes.
Eastern-Dome Regional Constituency (2 vacancies) Votes Received
- MCPHAIL, Jeremy 4,163
- GIBSON, Alastair 2,751
MITCHELL, Danny 2,367
The voter return percentage was 51.91%, being 6,003 votes, excluding special votes.
Hokonui Regional Constituency (1 vacancy) Votes Received
- MCDONALD, Peter 1,346
MACPHERSON, Russell Gordon 1,014
The voter return percentage was 46.73%, being 2,583 votes, excluding special votes.
Southern Regional Constituency (1 vacancy) Votes Received
- PEMBERTON, Jon 1,055
MCCALLUM, Lloyd James 609
The voter return percentage was 40.88%, being 1,821 votes, excluding special votes.
Invercargill-Rakiura Regional Constituency (6 vacancies) Votes Received
- ROY, Eric 11,364
- LUDLOW, Lyndal 9,660
- RODWAY, Maurice 9,631
- COOK, Neville 9,156
- MORRISON, Phil 8,134
- GUYTON, Robert 7,934
PAGAN, Bruce 7,731
MCGRATH, Gemma Independent 6,198
The voter return percentage was 51.85%, being 20,535 votes, excluding special votes.