King
Andy people's choice
A Hawke's Bay man has declared himself
King Andy I after receiving a resounding 99.8 percent
of the vote in Saturday's election. Andy Heyward,
a 29-year-old graphic designer, received an overwhelming
mandate despite launching his King of Haumoana campaign
just last week. Almost 500 votes were cast, with
only one opposed to his quest for the royal title.
Despite the weather, Mr Heyward spent all day in
a ''Royale Voting Boothe'', opposite Haumoana's
other polling station, where rain soaked his ballot
papers and cold forced him to wear a beanie under
his tiara. Voters were rewarded with pens, lollipops
and ''Know Your Goat'' fact sheets. ''Every kingdom
should have a good knowledge of goats, especially
as we are considering using goats as currency,''
Mr Heyward said. But his campaign was not entirely
unopposed. One block away, Zara Bradshaw, 10, and
Sarah Fagan, 9, were chasing votes for the post
of Queens of Haumoana. Unlike Mr Heyward, who resorted
to bribing voters with sweets, the girls had developed
a detailed policy platform. They won 100 percent
of the 48 votes cast. ''I'm glad someone's set up
a bit of opposition to old whatshisface down the
road,'' one anonymous resident said. While some
politicians spent yesterday morning engaging in
coalition talks King Andy fulfilled his first royal
duty - leading the polar plunge at Haumoana School
in his fluffy zebra bikini.
Photo
and Story by Peter
de Graaf
