Selwyn_Times: September 27, 2023

Selwyn Times Wednesday September 27 2023
8
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Many voters still undecided
The Selwyn
electorate
Voter population:
59,564
Registered voters:
52,924
Highest registered age
range: 100 per cent of
people 65 and over are
registered.
Lowest age range:
69.56 per cent of 18-24
years are registered.
Selwyn candidates
National: Nicola Grigg
(incumbent)
Labour: Luke Jones
Act: Ben Harvey
New Zealand Loyal:
Logan Courtney
New Conservative:
Abe Coulter
2020 turnout
Voter population:
48,411
Voter turnout: 43,022
Highest voter turnout
by age range: 65-59,
93.69 per cent voted.
Lowest voter turnout
by age range: 18-24,
82.72 per cent voted.
With less than three
weeks to go until
the General Election,
reporter Daniel Alvey
hit the ground to
find out where the
district’s political
radar is pointing in
an electorate that has
been a solid blue seat
since 1946
FOR FARMING contractor Sam
Gliddon who was stopping in
Darfield for supplies, it’s either
National or Act which will be
getting his vote.
“I haven’t decided which one
yet but will be either National or
Act.”
Like many in the agriculture
industry, Gliddon has felt the
pain of price increases brought
on by global economic turmoil.
“The price of diesel,
machinery, it’s all gone up.”
Gliddon didn’t feel as if the
current government had done
anything in their six years in
charge.
As a farming contractor,
Gliddon is always out and about
chatting with the district’s
farmers. He said they “don’t hold
back” on their thoughts, and
farmers are telling him it’s time
for a change.
Gliddon said current Selwyn
National MP Nicola Grigg, who
DECISIONS: Many Selwyn residents are still undecided on who they will vote for. Sam
Gliddon is considering National and Act.
PHOTOS: DANIEL ALVEY
is seeking her second term in
parliament, has done a good job.
“She was pretty farmingfocused
and seemed to be
looking out for the community.”
Gliddon didn’t know who the
other candidates in the electorate
are. He wasn’t alone. Almost
none of the people the Selwyn
Times spoke to actually knew the
candidates’ names.
Against Grigg is Labour’s Luke
Jones, Act’s Ben Harvey, New
Zealand Loyal’s Logan Courtney,
and New Conservative’s Abe
Coulter.
In the 2020 election, Grigg
won by nearly 5000 votes
(20,986) over Labour’s Reuben
Davidson (16,018), who is now
contesting the safe Labour seat
of Christchurch East. But despite
Grigg’s win, the party vote went
to Labour with 41.9 per cent of
the vote compared to 33.8 per
cent for National.
Many out in the electorate are
still undecided on who they will
vote for, with many unsure as to
whether they will split their vote.
Prebbleton grandfather Al Fone
was one of those yet to make up
his mind. He said his decision
would be all about their policies.
“I often split my vote,” Fone
said.
Election
countdown
October 14
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