RECT plea to voters

With 9 days left, the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust is hoping for a last-minute crush of voters in its triennial elections.

The trust has issued a statement saying that as of this week only 10 per cent of eligible voters had returned their forms.

Voting for six elected officials to the trust ends on November 23.

Voting can be carried out online or through the post.

Registered voters should now have received their voting packs, and can vote online, by postal vote or by dropping their voting papers into the ballot box at Rotorua Trust's office in Eruera St, trust manager Tony Gill says in a statement.

Voting is open until midday on November 23.

Postal votes need to be sent by 5pm on Monday, November 18, to ensure they are received ahead of the cut off period.

The elections are an opportunity for the Rotorua community to have its say.

In 2016, a total of 13,175 votes, representing 28.29 per cent of 46,574 eligible voters, were cast.

Some 1610 votes were received online, 12.22 per cent of the total vote.

With elections every three years, Tony says voting in this year's election will help shape the make-up of trustees.

'Those elected to …. have the opportunity to make a real difference in creating a better Rotorua for all ... this is about choosing who you think will make decisions based on your values.”

People who have haven't received their voting pack should contact the trust to check if they're enrolled and, if so, to cast a special vote.

Three years ago, the trust had a major overhaul in personnel with such community stalwarts Paul East, Lyall Thurston and Trevor Maxwell voted out after a combined service of 45 years.

This year at least two vacancies will be filled through Sandra Kai Fong (retired) and Beatrice Yates (deceased).

'The decisions made by the trust impact on almost every Rotorua resident. In the past three years alone, (it) has approved more than $20 million in grants,” Tony says.

The trust has a capital base of $160m.

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