Common sense says there would be a by-election if Len Brown stepped down any time after Saturday night. I know this is the case in parliamentary elections.

Last week someone close to Palino's camp argued there would not necessarily need to be a by-election if the winning candidate resigned before the results were announced. I dismissed it as wishful thinking but maybe that's why Palino told Chung to go public with her story and force Brown to resign before the week's end.

I raised it yesterday with an expert(?) who said it was unclear in local government elections. When Michelle Boag raised it in the Green Room at TVNZ this morning I wondered if there was maybe some truth to it after all.

My mistake. I should have asked you in the first place. Ouch!

Matt McCarten