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2025 New Zealand local elections
Local elections in New Zealand From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2025 New Zealand local elections (Māori: Nga Pōtitanga ā-Rohe 2025) are upcoming triennial elections that will be held from 9 September until 11 October 2025 to elect local mayors and councillors, regional councillors, and members of various other local government bodies.
All 11 of New Zealand's regions and 66 of New Zealand's 67 cities and districts will participate in the elections; 42 councils will also hold local referendums on the status of Māori wards. Tauranga City Council will not hold an election or a referendum as they recently held an election in 2024.
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Key dates
Key dates relating to the local elections are as follows:[v 1][v 2][v 3][v 4][v 5][1][2]
| early April | Electoral Commission sent out enrolment update packs. |
| 4 July | Candidate nominations opened |
| 10 July | Enrolment closes for switching to the Māori or general roll. |
| 1 August | Enrolment closes for the printed electoral roll. |
| Candidate nominations close. | |
| 6 August | Candidate names announced |
| 9 September | Voting opens. |
| 10 October | Last day to enrol to vote. |
| 11 October | Polling day — The voting documents must be at the council before voting closes at midday/12:00pm. Preliminary results to be released as soon as readily available afterwards. |
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Background
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Rates increases
Rate increases in the years preceding the election were reportedly high in several councils across the country.[3] The aftermath of natural disasters in some parts of the country[3] and long term rates increase deferrals[4] were some of the things blamed. Incumbent Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry (who is not seeking re-election) warned voters to be wary of candidates who talked about lowering rates without detailing a plan on what would be cut to accommodate.[4]
Māori wards
In 2023, the newly-formed Sixth National Government and its coalition partners ACT and New Zealand First pledged to "restore the right of local referendum on the establishment or ongoing use of Māori wards and constituencies."[5][6]
Under the government's change to the law, referendums will be held in 42 of the 45 local councils that had introduced Māori wards following the 2021 law change.[7][8] Two councils, the Kaipara District Council and the Upper Hutt City Council, voted to disestablish their Māori wards rather than hold referendums.[9][10]
Participation and turnout
There were concerns that the 2025 local elections will continue the pattern of decreasing participation, both in terms of number of candidates and in terms of turnout. Talking to Newsroom, Central Otago mayor Tamah Alley called it a "real concern" and a "threat to democracy".[11] Similar concerns about the low number of candidates were expressed by Regional and Unitary Councils Aotearoa (Te Uru Kahika).[12]
In the previous election, about two fifths of eligible electors voted. This follows the trend that has been almost continuous since the 1989 local government reforms, with 2010 being the only major blip due to the establishment of Auckland Council.[11]
Local Government NZ formed an electoral reform working group, chaired by Nelson mayor Nick Smith, that will deliver a report on 17 July.[needs update] Newsroom reported that the report will recommend in-person voting (currently postal voting is used) and having the Electoral Commission take over the running of local elections (currently it is run by the councils themselves, usually with them hiring private companies such as ElectioNZ.com and Election Services).[11]
The working group will also consider four year terms, similar to the incumbent National government's plans for parliament. The working group was not considering online voting.[11]
Notable Asian candidates contesting the regional council elections have included Yadana Saw and Omar Faruque in Greater Wellington, Syed Khurram Iqbal in Hawke's Bay and Alan Wang in Environment Canterbury.[13]
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Campaign
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Mayoral races
In Northland, incumbent mayor Moko Tepania will face off against councillor Ann Court for the Far North mayoralty and Whangārei mayor Vince Cocorullo will go against councillor Marie Olsen. Craig Jepson, Kaipara mayor and self-described "Trump of the North" will not stand for re-election, instead backing his deputy Jonathan Larsen for the position. Councillor Ash Nayyar and businessman Snow Tane will also contest the race.[1]
In Auckland, incumbent centre-right[14] mayor Wayne Brown announced his candidacy for re-election; this time he will stand under his group Fix Auckland. As of early July, it seems his main challenger will be incumbent Whau councillor Kerrin Leoni, a member of the Labour Party (though not officially endorsed).[1]
In Hamilton, incumbent centrist[15] mayor Paula Southgate will not run for re-election. Instead, left-leaning councillor Sarah Thomson will contest the election against former National MP Tim Macindoe.[1][16]
Incumbent mayor Tania Tapsell is running again in Rotorua.[1] Rehette Stoltz is standing to be re-elected in Gisborne.[1]
In Hawke's Bay, incumbent mayor Kirsten Wise is facing councillor Richard McGrath in the Napier mayoral election. Incumbent Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst is retiring, with councillors Wendy Schollum and Marcus Buddo, as well as businessman Steve Gibson in the contest.[1]
Neil Holdom is not seeking re-election in New Plymouth.[17] The mayoralty is instead being contested by candidates including incumbent deputy mayor David Bublitz[18] and councillors Sam Bennett and Max Brough.[1][19]
Incumbent mayor Grant Smith is again standing for re-election in Palmerston North. Councillor Orphée Mickalad is also a candidate. Andrew Tripe is seeking re-election in Whanganui, with councillors Peter Oskam and Josh Chandulal-Mackay challenging him.[1]
Labour mayor Campbell Barry will not run for re-election in Lower Hutt. Councillors Karen Morgan and Brady Dyer have confirmed they are running, as well as Indian-dance instructor Prabha Ravi. "World-famous-in-Wainuiomata" Ken Laban is also running.[1]
Tory Whanau, the Green Party endorsed incumbent mayor of Wellington, announced she wouldn't run again in the mayoral election.[a] Former leader of the Labour Party, Andrew Little, is seen as the frontrunner; he will run for the mayoralty as the Labour candidate.[b] Among the other candidates for the mayoralty are incumbent councillors Ray Chung, running under the Independent Together ticket, and Diane Calvert, former councillor Rob Goulden, former accountant Alex Baker and businessman Karl Tiefenbacher.[1][20]
In Nelson, former National minister and incumbent mayor Nick Smith is standing for re-election. Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor is also standing for re-election.[1]
In Christchurch, centre-right incumbent mayor Phil Mauger is seeking re-election. He is being challenged by "green-tinged" councillor Sara Templeton.[1] Other candidates include perennial candidate Tubby Hansen and white supremacist Philip Arps.[21]
Centre-right[22] incumbent Dunedin mayor Jules Radich will seek re-election to the city's mayoralty. He will be up against "slightly left-of-centre" businessman Andrew Simms, Green Party candidate Mickey Treadwell, and councillors Sophie Barker, Lee Vandervis, Mandy Mayhem, and Carmen Houlahan.[1][23]
John Glover and Nik Kiddle are in the running against incumbent Glyn Lewers in Queenstown-Lakes. Tamah Alley is also standing for re-election in Central Otago.[24] New Zealand's youngest mayor, Ben Bell, is standing for re-election in Gore. Nobby Clark, the controversial incumbent mayor of Invercargill, is not standing for re-election. Councillors Alex Crackett, Ian Pottiger, Tom Campbell (deputy mayor), and Ria Bond (former NZ First MP) are in the running.[1]
Central government parties
ACT New Zealand
In mid-March 2025, ACT leader David Seymour announced that the party would be fielding candidates during the 2025 local elections, marking the first time that the party would contest local body elections. ACT candidates would be expected to raise their own funds. Seymour said that the party would focus on lower rates, ending "wasteful spending," and racial equality.[25] The move would be the first time a national-level right wing party had run candidates in local races directly.[26]
The party did not intend to field any Māori ward or mayoral candidates.[26] In a press release published on Scoop, the party said their candidates would oppose attempts to manage emissions by local councils, describing climate action taken by councils as "grandstanding" and "virtue signalling".[a 1][27]
The party has announced forty-six candidates who will compete in the elections.[28][29]
Alliance Party
On 10 June, the Alliance Party announced that librarian and musician Tom Roud would run for a seat on the Christchurch City Council. While the party had been de-registered by the Electoral Commission in 2015, party president Victor Billot claimed the party never fully went away.[30]
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party announced they would campaign on a pro-Māori ward position.[31] In a press release on their website, they stressed commitment to sustainability, te tiriti, and community were what Green affiliated and endorsed candidates represented. They said that Green candidates want "bold" and "transformative" action on local issues and issues that affect all areas of the country, like climate change.[g 1]
The party announced in April that Tory Whanau would run for the Wellington mayoralty as a Green candidate. She had previously been endorsed in 2022 by the party but had officially run as an independent.[31] On 29 April, it was announced Whanau would not run for the mayoralty again. This came after Andrew Little said he would run for Labour, Whanau saying she didn't want the race to be "progressive vs progressive". She instead would run for the city's Māori ward.[32]
Incumbents Laurie Foon and Geordie Rogers, as well as newcomer Jonny Osborne, were announced as Green candidates for wards on the Wellington City Council.[31] Yadana Saw would run again for her position on the Greater Wellington Regional Council.[31] It was announced on 6 May that incumbent Labour councillor Rebecca Matthews would run for the Greens in the Wharangi ward.[33][g 2]
High school teacher and photographer Zac Painting is the sole Green candidate for the Porirua City Council.[g 3]
In late May, incumbent Green Otago regional councillor Alan Somerville confirmed he would be seeking a second term as councillor, while video game programmer Mickey Treadwell announced that he would be running as the Greens' mayoral candidate alongside contesting a seat on the Dunedin City Council. Other Green candidates in Dunedin included visual designer Lily Waring and support worker Rose Finnie.[34]
The two incumbent Green councillors on the Palmerston North City Council (Brent Barrett and Kaydee Zabelin) were endorsed by the party for re-election in late May.[35]
Designer Anjana Iyer is the party's candidate for the Whau ward on the Auckland Council.[g 4] The party is also running candidates for Auckland's local boards: disability activist Jonty Carroll and urban planner Emma McInnes for the Albert-Eden Local Board,[g 5][g 6] Peter Sykes for the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board,[g 7] Zooey Neumann for the Henderson-Massey Local Board,[g 8] and Caitlin Wilson for the Waitematā Local Board.[g 9]
New Zealand Labour Party
Labour announced they would campaign on a pro-Māori ward position.[31]
Labour extended nominations for their candidate for mayor of Wellington after being unable to find a candidate.[36] Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he thought the city needed "a really good shake-up", saying the party would potentially endorse an independent candidate.[36] Former Labour leader Andrew Little was approached by the party and announced on 16 April that he would run for the party in Wellington.[37] Though there were still formalities before being officially announced as the party's candidate, Little had received support from Hipkins for the job.[37] Little was announced as the official party candidate on 28 April.[38]
Incumbent Wellington City Councillors Ben McNulty and Nureddin Abdurahman would run again for their respective wards (Takapū/Northern and Paekawakawa/Southern); Afnan Al-Rubayee, Matthew Reweti, Sam O'Brien and Joy Gribben were announced as the party's candidates in the other wards.[36][39] Daran Ponter (incumbent chairman) and Tom James (non-incumbent) would run for seats on the Greater Wellington Regional Council.[36]
In Dunedin, Labour endorsed incumbent councillor Steve Walker and Otago University Students' Association politics representative Jett Groshunki as Dunedin City Council candidates in the 2025 Dunedin City Council election.[40]
Labour endorsed former city councillor Zulfiqar Butt and third-term incumbent city councillor Lorna Johnson for election to the Palmerston North City Council.[41]
Local groups
Several groups of independent fiscally conservative candidates were formed to contest various council seats. This included Better Hamilton in Hamilton, Better Waipā in Waipā, and Independent Together in Wellington.[42]
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Elections
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Overall summary
Regional councils
The regional level of government in New Zealand is organised into areas controlled by regional councils.
Territorial authorities
The city and district level of government in New Zealand is organised into areas controlled by territorial authorities. Some of these also have the powers of regional governments and are known as unitary authorities. The Chatham Islands have their own specially legislated form of government.
Tauranga will not hold elections due to having already held elections in 2024.[55][56]
Mayors
All territorial authorities (including unitary authorities) directly elect mayors.
Local boards
Elections will also be held for 21 local boards in Auckland.[57][58]
Community boards
Elections will also be held for 111 community boards, which have been set up by 40 territorial authorities under Part 4 of the Local Government Act 2002 to represent the interests of particular communities within those territories.[59][60]
Licensing trusts
Elections will also be held for 14 licensing trusts, which are community-owned companies with government-authorised monopolies on the development of premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages and associated accommodation in an area.
Other elections
Elections will also be held for other local government bodies.
Referendums
Alongside these elections, 42 councils with hold referendums on the question of whether to retain dedicated Māori wards and constituencies.
Porirua City Council and Hutt City Council will also hold indicative referendums on the question of whether they should explore the possibility of amalgamation with each other and the Wellington, Upper Hutt and Greater Wellington councils.
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See also
Notes
- See below.
- See below.
- Local government branch of the national ACT Party set up to contest this election.
- Two individuals, running for 5 positions. Richard Osmaston is running under the Money Free Party ticket for the mayoralties of Buller,[43] Grey,[44] Nelson[45] and Westland[46] (as well as for the mayoralty of Tasman with no affiliation[47]), while Shaun Brown is running under the ticket for the mayoralty of Marlborough.[48][49]
- of 16, two councillors representing Ngāi Tahu are appointed rather than elected.
- The candidates for the trustees of the Geraldine Licensing Trust were returned unopposed in the 2022 local elections.
- See list here.
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References
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