RAM - Residents Action Movement
Election InfoLine 5.9.07

Big 5 tickets in Auckland region

A total of 230 candidates are being fielded by the Big 5 tickets running in Greater Auckland's local body elections this October. They are:

* Labour-affiliated tickets - 67 candidates.

* Citizens & Ratepayers - 56 candidates.

* People's Choice - 48 candidates.

* 1Auckland - 32 candidates.

* RAM (Residents Action Movement) - 27 candidates.

No other ticket comes anywhere near the Big 5 in terms of candidate numbers Here is a more detailed breakdown:

LABOUR-AFFILIATED TICKETS

67 candidates are representing four Labour-affiliated tickets. The breakdown is:

* CITYVISION (operating in Auckland City only). Candidates:
* 9 candidates for council positions on Auckland City Council.
* 21 candidates for ACC community board positions.
* 4 candidates for Auckland District Health Board.
* Total of 34 CityVision candidates.

* LABOUR (operating in Auckland City). Candidates:
* 4 candidates for council positions on Auckland City Council.
* 5 candidates for ACC community board positions.
* Total of 9 Labour candidates in Auckland City.

* LABOUR (operating in Manukau City). Candidates:
* 5 candidates for council positions on Manukau City Council.
* 10 candidates for MCC community board positions.
* 1 candidate for Auckland Regional Council (Manukau Electorate).
* 2 candidates for Counties-Manukau District Health Board.
* Total of 18 Labour candidates in Manukau City.

* REGIONAL PEOPLE (operating in two Auckland Regional Council electorates). Candidates:
* 4 candidates in ARC's Auckland Electorate .
* 2 candidates in ARC's Manukau Electorate.
* Total of 6 Regional People candidates for the ARC.

CITIZENS & RATEPAYERS

56 candidates are representing Citizens & Ratepayers in two city councils, the regional council and one district health board. The breakdown is:

* 16 candidates for council positions on Auckland City Council.
* 26 candidates for ACC community board positions.
* 3 candidates for council positions on Waitakere City Council.
* 7 candidates for the Auckland Regional Council (4 in Auckland Electorate, 2 in North Shore Electorate, 1 in Waitakere Electorate).
* 4 candidates for Auckland District Health Board.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE

48 candidates are representing People's Choice in Manukau City for five different electoral contests. The breakdown is:

* 1 candidate for mayor of Manukau City.
* 12 candidates for council positions on Manukau City Council.
* 27 candidates for MCC community board positions.
* 2 candidates for the Auckland Regional Council (Manukau Electorate).
* 6 candidates for Counties-Manukau District Health Board.

1AUCKLAND

32 candidates are representing 1Auckland in Auckland City for three different electoral contests. The breakdown is:

* 15 candidates for council positions on Auckland City Council.
* 13 candidates for ACC community board positions.
* Manukau Electorate).
* 4 candidates for Auckland District Health Board.

RAM - RESIDENTS ACTION MOVEMENT

27 candidates are representing RAM across three cities and one district in Greater Auckland for six different electoral contests. The breakdown is:

* 6 candidates for council positions on Auckland City Council.
* 6 candidates for ACC community board positions.
* 7 candidates for the Auckland Regional Council (3 in Manukau Electorate, 2 in Auckland Electorate, 1 in Waitakere Electorate, 1 in Franklin-Papakura Electorate).
* 4 candidates for Auckland District Health Board.
* 3 candidates for Counties-Manukau District Health Board.
* 1 candidate for Waitemata District Health Board.

COMPARISONS

AUCKLAND REGIONAL COUNCIL
In the Auckland Regional Council electoral contest, three big tickets dominate equally in terms of candidate numbers. They are:
* Citizens & Ratepayers - 7 candidates in three electorates (Auckland, Manukau, Waitakere).
* Labour and Regional People (a Labour-affiliated ticket) - 7 candidates in two electorates (Auckland, Manukau).
* RAM (Residents Action Movement) - 7 candidates in four electorates (Auckland, Manukau, Waitakere, Franklin-Papakura).

AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL
In the contest for councillor positions on the Auckland City Council, the top four tickets in terms of candidate numbers are:
* Citizens & Ratepayers - 16 candidates.
* 1Auckland - 15 candidates.
* Labour and CityVision (a Labour-affiliated ticket) - 13 candidates.
* RAM - 6 candidates.

DISTRICT HEALTH BOARDS
In the contest for positions on the three district health boards in Greater Auckland, the top four tickets in terms of candidate numbers are:
* RAM - 8 candidates across all three district health boards (Auckland, Counties-Manukau, Waitemata)
* Labour and CityVision (a Labour-affiliated ticket) - 6 candidates for two district health boards (Auckland, Counties-Manukau).
* People's Choice - 6 candidates for one district health board (Counties-Manukau).
* Citizens & Ratepayers - 4 candidates for one district health board (Auckland).

NOTEWORTHY

* DISAPPEARED: The 2004 election saw a Waitakere City coalition of Labour, Greens and others called Team West. This "united" ticket has simply disappeared without trace in this year's election.

* INVISIBLE: Within Auckland City, Labour is running as Labour in some wards as well as participating in CityVision alongside Green Party members in other wards. But not so the Greens, who as a party are invisible in all council and community board contests in Auckland City. There is just one Green Party candidate in the whole of Greater Auckland - running for the Auckland District Health Board.

* NOT NOW: In the 2004 council election, National and Act party members put aside their differences to run together. Signifying their new-found unity, they subtly rebranded the traditional Citizens & Ratepayers ticket as Citizens & Ratepayers Now. But not now. This year's election sees the "Now" dropped from the right-wing ticket, whose insiders say this signifies the sidelining of Act in line with National leader John Key's strategy of appearing to be a "people's party" rather than a corporate front.

RAM blog - www.ram-auckland.net
Features profiles of all RAM candidates

ENDS

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