John Banks could still win the Auckland super city mayoral race despite polling behind Len Brown, Prime Minister John Key says.Mr Brown, the left-wing Manukau mayor had a substantial lead over Mr Banks, a former National government minister, in two recen
John Banks could still win the Auckland super city mayoral race despite polling behind Len Brown, Prime Minister John Key says.
Mr Brown, the left-wing Manukau mayor had a substantial lead over Mr Banks, a former National government minister, in two recent polls.
Mr Key said local government polls were less accurate than ones on national government because the turnout was so much lower in local body elections.
"John Banks can win it, he can definitely win it," Mr Key told Breakfast on TV One today.
"But I mean, look, at the end of the day, whether it's John Banks or Len Brown or anyone else we'll work with them.
"Aucklanders need to decide what they want for their city; what the vision is; what they want their rates bill to be. It's for them to decide."
In a Horizon poll Mr Brown led Mr Banks by 56 percent to 22 percent.
The figures are 40 percent and 18 percent among those yet to vote.
Conservative candidate Colin Craig was third with 11 percent support of those who had already voted and 8 percent of those who had not.
The poll of 307 who had already voted had a margin of error of plus or minus 5.6 percent. The poll of 356 who have yet to vote had a margin of error of plus or minus 5.2 percent.
As well as being ahead in Manukau, Mr Brown also led in Franklin, Waitakere, Papakura and even Auckland City, where Mr Banks is currently the mayor.
Mr Banks was ahead in Rodney district and the race was close in North Shore, the poll said.
Polling also showed Mr Banks was only marginally ahead among National Party supporters who had already voted (38 percent to 36 percent), and behind among National Party supporters who had yet to vote (29 percent to 35 percent).
Meanwhile, Mr Brown had 56 percent support in a Herald on Sunday-Phoenix Poll of 893 Aucklanders who had already voted or said they would definitely or probably vote.
Mr Banks had 33 percent support, but he said his own polling showed the vote was close.
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent.
