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2025 Local Body Elections

Every three years, elections are held across New Zealand to elect mayors, councillors, community boards and other local body positions. This provides the chance to make your voice heard and have your say in the future of the Buller District.

Local Elections 2025 Enrol Or Update

Local authority elections will be held on Saturday, 11 October 2025. This public notice tells you how to enrol, and who can enrol as a ratepayer elector, so you can vote in the elections. Voting will take place between 9 September - 11 October.

Key dates for the 2025 elections are:

Friday 4 July

Nominations open.

Electoral roll opens for inspection.

Friday 1 August

Nominations close at 12 noon.

Electoral roll closes.

By 6 August

Public notice of candidate names and special voting places.

9-22 September

Delivery of voting documents (will occur between these dates).

9 September - 11 October

Voting and special voting period. Early processing period.

Saturday 11 October

Election Day (voting closes at 12 noon)

Progress / preliminary results will be announced as soon as practicable.

11-16 October

Official count and processing of special votes.

16-19 October

Declaration of final result and public notice of results.

 

Enrolment

If you are already enrolled as a parliamentary elector you will automatically be placed on Council’s electoral roll.  If you need to enrol or update your name or address details, you can:

  • Visit vote.nz and use your New Zealand driver license, New Zealand passport or RealMe verified identity to enrol online
  • Call free 0800 36 76 56 and ask for a form to be sent to you

If you’d like help with the enrolment forms and checking your online details, please call into one of our service centres where staff are available to assist you.

An organisation can nominate one of its members or officers to vote on its behalf

If a firm, company, trust, corporation, society partners, joint tenants and tenants in common collectively pay rates on a property in a council district, one of the group may be nominated to be the ratepayer elector.

The person nominating and the nominated person must be registered as Parliamentary electors at addresses outside the council district where the property is located.

Elections are currently held for:

  • One Mayor
  • Two Councillors to represent the Inangahua Ward
  • Two Councillors to represent the Seddon Ward
  • Six Councillors to represent the Westport Ward
  • Four community members to represent the Inangahua Community Board

Click link below to check if your enrolment details are correct or need to be updated online check enrolment details online

Confirmed candidates for the 2025 local elections will be available from 5pm on 1 July. You can view the list of candidates on the electionz.com website here

The list will be updated as nominations are published.

We are required to review and consult the community about our representation arrangements in every six years.

Our most recent representation review was held in 2024/2025 and resulted in no changes to the way local body elections function in the Buller District.

Find out more about the Representation Review by clicking here.

For more information about enrolling and voting, including alternative language options:

Further information for candidates

Candidate handbook

A candidate handbook with information about everything to do with nominations, campaigning and standing for Council, Community Board or Mayor – is available below for anyone considering standing in the 2025 local elections. Hard copies are also available from Council offices and service centres.

Local Government New Zealand has put together a helpful Candidates' Guide. You can download a free copy here

Pre-election Report 2025

This report is a statutory requirement under the Local Government Act, published by all councils prior to each local authority election. It provides financial information including plans and forecast expenditure for the next three years, along with a review of expenditure in the previous three year.

There are set rules and legislative requirements for election signage. The Candidate handbook contains all the details. It is important that candidates read and understand these expectations.

Elected members receive salaries that vary depending on the size of each council. These salaries are set independently by the Remuneration Authority.

See here for Elected Member Remuneration 2024-25

All electorate candidates must file a return of their expenses and donations, even if they didn’t have any expenses or donations. 

Candidate returns include donations, anonymous donations, and overseas donations, and election expenses for advertising.

Return of electoral donations and expenses form

For more information about standing for Council, including alternative language options:

Visit: LGNZ

 

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