Voting papers for more than 86,000 Dunedin electors are about to start sliding through city letterboxes.

Local electoral officer Pam Jordan says forms for the postal vote will start arriving from tomorrow.

The papers include forms for the 12th of October elections for the Dunedin City Council, Otago Regional Council and Southern District Health Board.

Voting papers must be mailed back in time to be received by midday on election day.

The electoral office this morning urged voters to fill in and return their papers.

Voting returns for the city dropped to just 47.4% at the 2007 election, though rose to 52% in 2010.