Local body elections are well under way.
Nominations have closed and ballot papers will be delivered from the middle of next month.
Voting closes at midday on October 8 and preliminary results will be known shortly after. The final results will be declared a week or so later.
In some local authority areas, competition is fierce, while in other areas, it’s been a struggle to get people to put their names forward.
One well-contested election is the race to lead the country’s largest city, where 23 candidates are standing for the Auckland Mayoralty.
