I've forgotten his name already, but the neonhead in charge of Local Governance has voiced considerable concern about the low return of ballots. A number of reasons have been aired, including:

1/ the ballot papers are hard to understand.

When has Idiocy been so high in this nation?Why should we pander to it? How can it be difficult to fill in the voting papers.

2/ City folk do not know their candidates.

why would they? most will not know their next door neighbor. I'm convinced my neighbors wish they didn't know me.

3/ A perceived lack of high-profile candidates.

How about an election on high profile issues? In my area the issues that seem to the general public to be of utmost importance are swept under the Mayoral Carpet as "Side-show or irrelevant".

The most glaring problem is the dearth of Quality Representatives. We have candidates looking like Gravy Train junkies, ex-All Blacks who never turn up, candidates platforming the right to refuse too work with Men who have thrush, (ex)members of ACT proclaiming "Political Independence" , members of a cult whose prime tenant is the center of the universe is in Clyde Road.
This is hardly confidence inspiring for the voter, who already in most parts feels dis-enfranchised form the Democratic process.
I get the feeling that it is becoming more and more of a Lottery, and I know that means a lot of unlucky punters.
Losers in another word. Worse still is the lack of scrutiny given to the funding process.... Still if you buy more tickets maybe you will win?