‘We can’t be the police’: Papatoetoe by-election tests voter confidence

Voter trust is being tested by the Papatoetoe local board by-election, as it's being held under the same postal voting system that was challenged in court and led to the original result being voided, a candidate says.

Vi Hausia will stand again, saying the by-election has prompted candidates and voters to reflect on the basics of campaigning and participation.

Hausia successfully petitioned the Papatoetoe subdivision election results after voting irregularities were identified in court, triggering a rare by-election.

“If we didn’t take this to the district court, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now,” Hausia told Pacific Mornings, describing the case as one about upholding local democracy in Papatoetoe.

Hausia told Local Democracy Reporting he didn't want to sit at home knowing that there were voting irregularities and do nothing about it.

“That would be hard for me to accept.”

Watch Vi Hausia's full interview with Pacific Mornings below:

Hausia says campaigning for a second time has meant returning to door-knocking, reintroducing himself to residents and answering voters’ questions.

“It sucks doing it twice, but you have to do it,” he says. “We’re campaigning, but we can’t be the police.”

He says candidates were encouraging people to vote, but concerns about the fragility of the postal voting system meant community leaders were urging vigilance.

The Papatoetoe by-election is required by law to use the same postal voting system as the 2025 local elections. Photo/Auckland Council

Reflecting on why he pursued the case despite the toll, Hausia says the process reinforced his resolve.

“The harder it was, the more I thought, this is why it’s hard for people to do this kind of stuff,” he says. “If I’m not going to do this, who’s going to do it?”

He says the consequences of the court challenge were being felt not just by candidates, but by voters.

“It’s been a hectic time for candidates and for the community,” Hausia says.

“We’ve been through an election, a whirlwind court case, and now we’re here again with another opportunity to select people to represent Papatoetoe.”

Postal ballots can be returned by mail or at ballot boxes at Papatoetoe and Manukau libraries. Photo/Auckland Council

Hausia says a lack of trust in postal voting was driving disengagement among some voters.

“Even if you don’t trust it, the voting is still going to happen,” he says. “If you don’t vote, other people will vote for you.”

Concerns about the continued use of postal voting have also been heightened by recent changes to postal services.

Following the announcement that NZ Post will close 142 locations nationwide, Hausia says postal ballots feels increasingly outdated.

“That is a beautiful reason as to why we need to move away from postal ballots,” he says. “Honestly, if we have it again in 2028, that’s embarrassing.”

Voting opens on March 9, and voters are urged to alert election officials if they do not receive their postal voting papers. Photo/RNZ

Auckland Council says the by-election must be conducted under the same postal voting system used in the 2025 local elections, as required by the Local Electoral Act 2001.

Oliver Roberts, Auckland Council’s Head of Governance Programmes and Policies, said while no voting system was “bulletproof”, postal voting had delivered robust results for many years and included checks and balances to protect the integrity of the process.

Roberts said it was understandable if last year’s voting irregularities, and the District Court ruling, had affected public trust.

He said Auckland Council had previously advocated to central government for changes to local election voting methods and would continue working with other councils to provide feedback on potential reforms.

Hausia said he hoped the by-election would encourage more representation.

"I don't know if this situation has scared people away, or actually made them feel bold to come forward," he says. “I don’t know who the candidates are, but I hope to see Māori, Pasifika, [and] young.”

Hausia, a Papatoetoe resident, has served as deputy chair of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board last term.

“The next two months are going to be interesting because this is unprecedented,” he says. “What happens in Papatoetoe over that period will be important to dissect. It should influence change.”

Nominations closed at midday on Wednesday [Jan 28], with confirmed candidates announced later today.

Voting is open from March 9 until midday on April 9.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.