Top 5 Presidential Candidates Announced
MEDIA RELEASE: 15 September 2008
Voting opens today in New Zealand's first ever presidential election, as Kiwis bring their head of State home.
"On the same day political hoardings are going up for the general election, the Republican Movement is allowing New Zealanders set aside party politics and rigid convention," said Lewis Holden, chair of the Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand.
"This is our chance to tell the world who we really want as our head of State."
More than 1,300 votes were cast on the Republican Movement's President of New Zealand website over the past month, as voters narrowed down ten nominees to select their five top candidates. Nominees falling by the wayside are writer Vincent O'Sullivan, jurist Sir Kenneth Keith, former politicians Don McKinnon and Douglas Graham and businessman Sir Robert Jones.
Today, Mr Holden announced the five top candidates for the presidency (in alphabetical order) are: Professor James Belich, Jim Bolger, Dr Claudia Orange, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and Sir Wilson Whineray.
"These candidates show that New Zealand is more than capable of producing an able New Zealander to be our head of State" continued Mr Holden.
"We don't need the Royal family to fill in the role - they've shown little interest in it of late - and the process of election is more democratic than the Prime Minister's appointment of the Governor-General."
Voting is by a simple preference, where voters rank their candidates from 1 - 5. Multiple votes from the same computer are not counted. The ballot runs for six weeks, closing on Friday, October 31.
"Whoever takes the Treasury benches on 8 November will have the ability to lead the debate on republicanism."
"Helen Clark and John Key should take note that a growing number of New Zealanders want our head of State to be a New Zealander, and take action to give New Zealanders a choice on the matter" concluded Mr Holden.
NOTES
- The final round of voting will be on www.president.org.nz/finalround
- Biographies of the candidates are online at www.president.org.nz/candidates
