Uncertain time for local bodies

with some interesting last-minute entrances. Dame Lynda Topp will run for council in Ashburton. Radio host and councillor Marcus Lush is taking a tilt at the mayoralty in Invercargill, held for a staggering 26 years by Sir Tim Shadbolt, and is also being challenged by Shadbolt’s adversarial deputy, Nobby Clark.

Races without incumbent mayors usually provide the greatest drama. Auckland, Christchurch and Nelson offer genuinely nailbiting contests for that reason.

Christchurch’s race, likely to be a showdown between David Meates and Phil Mauger, should be the closest in the city since the earthquake-affected 2010 contest.

A clear Auckland winner is still hard to pick despite Molloy’s withdrawal. Wellington has an incumbent in Andy Foster but he will be threatened by currentMP Paul Eagle.

Hamilton and Dunedin also have incumbents in arguably less unpredictable contests.

Low voter turnout is one reason mayoral contests are hard to pick.

Council elections are notorious for a lack of voter participation; turnout has declined at a national level from 57% in 1989 to 42.2% in 2019. Otago University politics professor Janine Hayward outlined the reasons why voters are apathetic: Candidates have a low profile, the public often doesn’t know elections are happening, local media struggles to interest people in campaigns, the issues themselves fail to interest voters, and people feel their vote would not make a difference.

Apart from some highly competitive mayoral contests in the larger centres, there is declining interest for would-be politicians and community board members.

A number of district councils received just one nomination for mayor.

Why the lack of interest? Some blame the pay, although that varies depending on the roles. Others talk of pressure. The experience of

Christchurch councillor Sara Templeton, trolled by an online misogynist, shows that local politics have the potential to be as draining and personally demanding as national politics.

Then there is the tension between the Government and the regions over initiatives such as the Three Waters reform. The Government also dictated housing rules to some urban councils.

Thatmeans there is a declining stature for local politics. A sense of uncertainty hangs over the sector, making it less attractive for candidates and less interesting for time-starved voters.