Dunedin Council Elections: Calvert and Laws Secure Re-election

The latest progress results from the Dunedin council elections indicate a shift towards the right, with Hilary Calvert poised to return to the council alongside fellow incumbents Andrew Noone and Gretchen Robertson, who served as chairwoman in the previous term. As of the latest count, which reflects 85% of the votes, the newly elected representatives also include first-time candidate Chanel Gardner and the Green Party’s Alan Somerville. Notably, incumbents Elliot Weir and Tim Mepham are projected to lose their seats.

In the Dunstan constituency, Michael Laws has been re-elected with a significant margin. Joining him on the council list based on progress results are incumbents Gary Kelliher and Matt Hollyer, along with former Central Otago district deputy mayor Neil Gillespie. Calvert, Laws, and Kelliher are affiliated with the fiscally conservative Vision Otago team ticket, which has gained notable traction in this election cycle.

Despite the positive outcomes for some candidates, Carmen Hope, also part of the Vision Otago ticket, has not secured a seat in the Molyneux ward. In this area, Act candidate Robbie Byars is leading the vote tally, while Kate Wilson is set to be re-elected. Incumbent Lloyd McCall is not expected to retain his position in this ward. Additionally, Kevin Malcolm has successfully maintained his seat in the Moeraki ward.

The council has clarified that the current results do not incorporate special votes or ballots that were submitted on the day of the election. They indicated that the final outcome may change once all voting papers have been fully counted, highlighting the importance of patience as the process unfolds.

As of now, these progress results represent a significant step in shaping the future of local governance in Dunedin, with implications for policy direction and fiscal management in the coming term.