A Waipā District Council ‘drive and drop’ initiative had pop-up voting stations in council offices in Cambridge and Te Awamutu.
Waipa local election day 2025. Archer Humphrys, 3 and Anna Humphrys get their last minute votes in. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Waipā staffers manned portable voting areas – made obvious by gigantic orange bins and billboards – and walked the streets all morning.
Reminders via the Antenno App and the big orange signs prompted a steady stream of voters and a final flurry arriving in the last half hour before voting closed at noon.
Two arrived in Te Awamutu with two minutes to spare.
The voter return excluding special votes was 41.25 per cent – 16,991 votes.
Some people thought they had to vote on the day. One voter believed everyone should vote but cutting it fine “was just the sort of person” she was.
Richard Tiddy had just flown in from America after four weeks away.
“We felt strongly that it was important to vote,” Tiddy said.
Waipa local election day 2025 – Waipa staffers, from left: Sarah Noble, Bev Taylor, Matt Gould encouraging people to vote. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
“Local government matters and there are some big issues that need to be addressed as well.
“I think voters have more influence in local body elections because they are not tarnished by party politics, they are more accountable and if we are interested, we can often hear directly from candidates.
“It’s a pity local government doesn’t get a greater percentage of the tax take because there are some really good trustworthy people involved who deserve more influence than many parliamentarians.”
Kevin Howard was travelling around in his campervan and was racing against the clock to get back to Te Awamutu to vote. He made it back just in time for a special vote with eight minutes to spare. Photo: Jesse Wood
Kevin Howard was travelling around in his campervan and racing to beat the clock to get back to Te Awamutu to vote. He made it with eight minutes to spare.
Among them in Cambridge was Taupō MP Louise Upston, who grinned as she confessed to dropping in her son’s voting papers which had been left on the kitchen bench at home.
Taupō MP Louise Upston sped in just before voting closed with her son’s voting papers, which she confessed were slightly coffee-stained. Photo: Viv Posselt
Also skidding in at the last minute was Karāpiro’s Leah Gillanders, and Canadian-born Hollie O’Halloran who suggested her busy life with the kids explained her delay in voting. A similar explanation came from Jessie Wright, who brought her children along, believing that son Joey, 7, and daughter Violet, 9, could learn something about the democratic process.
Mum Jessie Wright brought along Violet, 9, and Joey, 7, for a hands-on lesson in democracy within minutes of the noon deadline. Photo: Viv Posselt
Anna Humphrys moved with her husband and two children to Cambridge last year from Ngaio in Wellington and was keen to have her say but in the busyness of life had left the papers sitting on the kitchen bench until Saturday. She brought the papers into town – minus the envelopes – which council staff provided.
Canadian-born Cambridge resident Hollie O’Halloran was among late voters who used the outdoor voting facility at the council building. Photo: Viv Posselt
Karapiro’s Leah Gillanders was among the last few to drop in her voting papers. Photo: Viv Posselt
Earlier in both towns other Waipā staff, including chief executive Steph O’Sullivan and executive director Katie Mayes, wandered around carrying boards urging people to vote before noon. O’Sullivan and Mayes visited the Cambridge Farmers’ Market and both sides of Victoria St drawing bemused looks from some bystanders spotted by The News.
“It was a great vibe,” O’Sullivan said. “People were really engaged and excited to be part of the process. The drive-through voting was a real hit and helped make it easy for people to have their say right up until the deadline.”
Waipa local election day 2025. Executive director Katie Mayes, left, and chief executive Steph O’Sullivan. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
