The local elections to vote for a mayor and councillors will be held Saturday 11 October 2025. Local elections are held every 3 years by postal vote.
Make sure you're enrolled to vote - Check or update your details or to enrol
Key dates
Key dates for the 2025 local body elections.
| Friday 4 July 2025 | Candidate nominations open, roll opens for public inspection |
|---|---|
| 1 August | Ratepayer electoral roll closes |
| 1 August | Candidate nominations close at 12noon |
| 8 August | Candidates announced |
| 9 - 22 September | Voting papers sent to enrolled voters |
| 9 September | Voting opens |
| Saturday 11 October | Voting closes 12noon |
| Saturday 11 October | Progress and preliminary results published |
| Monday 14 October | Final results announced - official count |
| Friday 17 October | Declaration of results - public notice |
| Mid/late December 2025 | Return of electoral donations and expenses form |
How do I enrol to vote?
You can enrol as a resident if you:
- are 18 years or older,
- are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident,
- have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more at some time in your life.
If you’re enrolled to vote for the parliamentary elections, then you’re automatically enrolled for council elections too.
To check if you're enrolled or to update your details
Wherever you pay rates, you can vote
If you own property in our district Tairawhiti but live elsewhere, you may be able to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer elector and vote in both areas.
Ratepayer electors may also be eligible to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer in a council district if both of these apply:
- You're on the district valuation roll and pay rates in the council district
- the address where you're registered as a parliamentary elector is outside that council district.
Your eligibility to enrol or be nominated as a ratepayer elector may also depend on your individual circumstances, determined by the Local Electoral Act 2001.
Enrol now - the ratepayer electoral roll closes 1 August
For more information including FAQs visit votelocal.co.nz
Fill in this form for Enrolment as a Ratepayer Elector