Great Barrier Island has led the Auckland region in civic participation, recording the highest voter turnout as polls closed at noon today, while Wayne Brown has stormed home to win a second term as Auckland’s mayor.
According to Auckland Council’s Daily Vote Count Report, Great Barrier achieved a 41.3 percent turnout, far ahead of every other local board area. Waiheke was next on 36.3 percent, with most mainland areas sitting between 20 and 30 percent. The regional average was just 23.1 percent.
Out of 968 registered electors, 400 islanders returned their papers — continuing Aotea’s long-standing reputation for high participation and close-knit democracy.
Meanwhile, Brown cruised to victory city-wide, securing 146,642 votes under his Fix Auckland ticket — more than 90,000 clear of his nearest challenger, Kerrin Leoni, who received 56,612. Independent candidate Ted Johnston finished third with 21,661 votes.
Addressing media at Karanga Plaza on Wynyard Quarter this afternoon, Brown called the result “heartening,” saying it was “an endorsement from the city for his policies.”
“I haven’t quite finished everything I’ve set out to fix,” he said. “The most important thing now is to take full advantage of taking control of Auckland Transport.”
Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, who ran with Brown on his Fix Auckland team, congratulated him, saying he had made “the biggest transformational change since the super city came into being in 2010.”
Progress results include votes received up until yesterday evening. Preliminary results, which include votes received today, are due Monday, with final results expected by Friday, October 17.
Results for the Aotea / Great Barrier Local Board and the Hauraki Gulf ward are also expected to be released within the next few hours.
