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Election

Our next election will be held in early 2024

Further relevant information which may be of assistance to you is set out below:

Nominations Received:

When nominations closed at 4:00 pm on Wednesday 20 December 2023, a total of five nominations had been received: one nomination was received to represent the Tūrangi area, three nominations were received to represent the Taumarunui area, and one nomination was received to represent the Ohakune area.

Tūrangi area
BRANSGROVE, Jo

Taumarunui area
DOYLE, Adie
JACKSON, Melissa
TOPHAM, Peter

Ohakune area
KROLL, Uwe

In accordance with Clause 1.3 of the First Schedule to the King Country Trust Deed, as the Tūrangi and Taumarunui areas have representation from continuing trustees, an election between Jo BRANSGROVE, Adie DOYLE, Melissa JACKSON and Peter TOPHAM will be held on Thursday 22 February 2024.

As the Ohakune area will not have representation by a continuing trustee, Uwe KROLL is duly declared elected unopposed.

A public notice (Notice of Day of Election) will appear in the Ruapehu Bulletin, Taumarunui Bulletin and Taupō and Tūrangi Herald from Wednesday 17 January 2024.

Consumers’ Roll:

The four-week voting period is from Friday 26 January 2024 to 12 noon, Thursday 22 February 2024.

Those eligible to vote at this election are consumers of The Lines Company in the King Country Trust District (the former King Country Electric Power Board area), as at the close of the roll on Wednesday 6 December 2023.

Each consumer will be distributed one voting pack, regardless of the number of electricity connections that the consumer may have. In respect of joint consumers, a vote will be deemed to have been exercised in the name of the joint consumers upon receipt of the completed vote by the Returning Officer.

In accordance with Clause 3.5(f) of the First Schedule to the Trust Deed, Consumers that are not natural persons (i.e. organisations, companies, trusts etc) will be required to nominate a person whose name does not appear on the Consumers Roll to exercise the consumer’s vote on its behalf. The person will need to complete a declaration, included with the voting material to confirm they have not voted on behalf of another consumer.

The Consumers’ Roll is compiled for the issuing of voting material only and has been provided to the Returning Officer on a confidential basis. The Roll is therefore not available for public inspection, although consumers may enquire from the Returning Office whether their name appears on the Roll or not. Consumers may contact the Returning Office on 0800 922 822.

Voting Period:

Voting packs will be issued from Friday 26 January 2024, to all eligible consumers:

· by email (for consumers with an email address recorded with The Lines Company); or

· by post.

Consumers who receive their voting pack by email will be able to vote online (using the unique voter credentials included in the email).

Consumers who receive their voting pack by post will be able to vote by:

· voting online (using the unique voter credentials shown on the voting document); or

· posting their completed voting document back to the Returning Officer using the ReplyPaid envelope included in their voting pack.

To be counted, all completed voting documents must be in the hands of the Returning Officer or an electoral official by 12 noon on Thursday 22 February 2024. If voting by post, it is recommended that voting documents are posted by Friday 16 February 2024.

Special Voting:

Special votes are available to consumers:

· who do not receive a voting pack previously issued to them; or

· who have spoilt or damaged a voting document previously sent to them.

Special votes are available from Friday 26 January 2024 to noon, Thursday 22 February 2024 by contacting the Returning Office at info@electionservices.co.nz or 0800 922 822 to have one emailed or posted out.

Processing of returned voting documents

The processing of returned voting documents will be carried out at the Returning Office (Independent Election Services Ltd) in Auckland. Under the King Country Trust Deed, returned voting documents are able to be opened and processed during all or part of the voting period prior to the close of voting.

The early processing of voting documents involves the following functions:

· opening of envelopes;

· extracting of voting documents;

· electronic capture of all valid votes (twice).

The tallying of postal and online votes is undertaken after the close of voting (12 noon, Thursday 22 February 2024). Candidates may appoint a scrutineer to attend the official count on Thursday 22 February 2024. Such appointment must be received in writing by the Returning Officer by 12 noon, Wednesday 21 February 2024 (the day before the close of voting).

Results:

Once the counting of votes has occurred, the results will be forwarded to the Secretary of the King Country Trust, and candidates will subsequently be advised.

A public notice (declaration of results) will appear in newspapers from Wednesday 28 February 2024.

For further information:

If you have any further questions about any of the above, or regarding the election process in general, please contact our office on 0800 922 822 or email: info@electionservices.co.nz