Porirua city mayor-elect, Anita Baker says the council is in a state of limbo. Photo: RNZ / Reece Baker
Porirua city council's first meeting has been delayed, and its councillors can't be sworn in, due to the possibility of a recount in one of its seats
The city's mayor-elect, Anita Baker says the council is in limbo and can't get started on business until the contested seat is sorted.
Parirua Māori ward candidate Jess Te Huia lodged a recount application in the Porirua District Court on Tuesday 21 October, a Porirua City Council spokesperson said.
Incumbent Kylie Wihapi, who served as the city's deputy mayor last term, was re-elected with 936 votes at the election - 11 votes ahead of Te Huia, on 925 votes.
The council's manager for democratic services, Jack Marshall, said the first meeting was set for this Thursday, but has been delayed due to the recount application.
"Once the application is completed by the District Court, the Chief Executive will call the inaugural meeting, and the members of the Council who are declared elected will take their declarations and start to get to work on Council business."
Under the Local Electoral Act 2001, a district court judge must be satisfied the applicant has reasonable grounds to believe the result of the election was incorrect, and that on a recount they might be elected.
The Judge then orders the recount and tells the electoral officer in writing when that will happen.
In a post on Facebook, Te Huia said her recount application wasn't about numbers, but about "transparency and trust".
"Every person who voted, including my own tamariki and the rangatahi of our community, deserves to know their voice was heard, counted, and respected."
Wihapi has been approached for comment.
Mayor-elect Anita Baker said the council is now in a "state of limbo", and she expected the first meeting wouldn't be held until late November.
"We are in a state of limbo.
"The council can't be sworn in, I can't announce my team - so we're stuck."
Baker said she understood the Judge would hear the application in court on 11 and 12 November, and if the recount proceeds that process could take another week.
Final results of the race show there were 12 informal votes and 28 blank votes in Porirua's Māori ward race, according to the declaration of results.
RNZ understands blank and informal votes are recorded and published after the final count, and do not contribute to the official results.
An informal vote is classed as one that can't be counted because the voter's intention is unclear, and a blank vote is unallocated to any candidate.
The rest of Wellington regions' councils will hold first meetings this week - with Hutt City Council holding its today, and Upper Hutt and Wellington City Councils swearing in councillors tomorrow.
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