Christchurch electors have voted to stay with the First Past the Post (FPP) system for the 2004 and 2007 Mayoral, City Council and Community Board elections.

A postal ballot asking voters to choose between FPP and the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system closed earlier in the month. The result was 53,204 for FPP and 30,334 for STV.

Christchurch electoral officer Max Robertson says the votes received represent 36.47 per cent of enrolled voters.

Nationally, the STV system came into consideration because of a change in the law under which local government operates.

The Government decided councils must now regularly review their electoral systems and give voters an opportunity to decide if a change is needed.

Last year the Christchurch City Council decided it did not favour change, but a local group began collecting signatures for a petition to force a binding vote. The petition was presented just before Christmas, and it was found to contain enough signatures to require a poll to be held.