Local elections in New Zealand

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Local elections are held every three years ending on the second Saturday in October in New Zealand to elect local government politicians using postal voting.

Background

Elections for the city, district and regional councils of New Zealand have a fixed election date, unlike general elections. Under section 10 of the Local Electoral Act 2001,[1] elections must be held on the "second Saturday in October in every third year" from the date the Act came into effect in 2001. The last local body elections were held on 8 October 2022. The next will be held on 11 October 2025. Local elections are mostly organised by district and city councils, with other organisations (for example the Electoral Commission, and the Department of Internal Affairs) having peripheral roles. The elections determine the membership of district, city, and regional councils. In some places, licensing trusts and local boards are also voted for.[2] Elections are held by postal voting.[2]

Under New Zealand law, those who are eligible to enrol (18 year of age, lived in New Zealand continuously for at least one year at some time, and are either a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident) must do so. People can vote in the area where they live, and it is up to voters to decide which address they consider their home (e.g. a student may choose to enrol where they live during term time, or their parents' place if they go home during the holidays).[3] If a person owns property in which they do not live, they can also apply to be put onto the ratepayer roll for local elections. That is, an individual may be eligible to vote in more than one voting area for local elections.[2]

Mayoral elections

Auckland City

1919 • 1921 • 1923 • 1925 • 1927 • 1929 • 1931 • 1933 • 1935 • 1938 • 1941 • 1944 • 1947 • 1950 • 1953 • 1956 • 1957 (by-election) • 1959 • 1962 • 1965 • 1968 • 1971 • 1974 • 1977 • 1980 • 1983 • 1986 • 1986 • 1990 (by-election) • 1992 • 1995 • 1998 • 2001 • 2004 • 2007

Auckland

2010 • 2013 • 2016 • 2019 • 2022

Christchurch

1876 • 1878 • 1881 • 1895 • 1933 • 1935 • 1936 • 1938 • 1941 • 1944 • 1947 • 1950 • 1953 • 1956 • 1959 • 1962 • 1965 • 1968 • 1971 • 1974 • 1977 • 1980 • 1983 • 1986 • 1989 • 1992 • 1995 • 1998 • 2001 • 2004 • 2007 • 2010 • 2013 • 2016 • 2019 • 2022

Dunedin

1865 • 1929 • 1931 • 1933 • 1935 • 1938 • 1941 • 1944 • 1947 • 1950 • 1953 • 1956 • 1959 • 1962 • 1965 • 1968 • 1971 • 1974 • 1977 • 1980 • 1983 • 1986 • 1989 • 1992 • 1995 • 1998 • 2001 • 2004 • 2007 • 2010 • 2013 • 2016 • 2019 • 2022

Hamilton

1976 (by-election) • 2013 • 2016 • 2019 • 2022

Invercargill

1871 • 1874 • 1876 • 1877 • 1878 • 1879 • 1880 • 1882 • 1883 • 1884 • 1885 • 1886 • 1887 • 1889 • 1890 • 1892 • 1893 • 1894 • 1895 • 1896 • 1898 • 1899 • 1901 • 1903 • 1905 • 1907 • 1908 • 1909 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 • 1915 • 1917 • 1919 • 1921 • 1923 • 1927 • 1929 • 1931 • 1933 • 1938 • 1944 • 1947 • 1953 • 1962 • 1965 • 1968 • 1971 • 1974 • 1977 • 1980 • 1983 • 1986 • 1989 • 1992 • 1993 (by-election) • 1995 • 1998 • 2004 • 2007 • 2010 • 2013 • 2016 • 2019 • 2022

Lower Hutt

1933 • 1935 • 1938 • 1941 • 1944 • 1947 • 1950 • 1953 • 1956 • 1959 • 1962 • 1965 • 1968 • 1971 • 1974 • 1977 • 1980 • 1983 • 1986 • 1989 • 1992 • 1995 • 1998 • 2001 • 2004 • 2007 • 2010 • 2013 • 2016 • 2019 • 2022

Nelson

2016 • 2019

Napier

1917 • 2022

Porirua

1962 • 1965 • 1968 • 1971 • 1974 • 1977 • 1980 • 1983 • 1983 • 1989 • 1992 • 1995 • 1998 • 2001 • 2004 • 2007 • 2010 • 2013 • 2016 • 2019 • 2022

Rangitikei

2010 • 2013 • 2016

Rotorua

2019 • 2022

Tauranga

2016 • 2019

Upper Hutt

2016 • 2019 • 2022

Wellington

1875 • 1876 • 1901 • 1903 • 1904 • 1905 • 1907 • 1909 • 1910 • 1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1915 • 1917 • 1919 • 1921 • 1923 • 1925 • 1927 • 1929 • 1931 • 1933 • 1935 • 1938 • 1941 • 1944 • 1947 • 1950 • 1953 • 1956 • 1959 • 1962 • 1965 • 1968 • 1971 • 1974 • 1977 • 1980 • 1986 • 1989 • 1992 • 1995 • 1998 • 2001 • 2004 • 2007 • 2010 • 2013 • 2016 • 2019 • 2022

Local elections by region

Northland

Auckland

Waikato

Hamilton

Bay of Plenty

Gisborne

Hawke's Bay

Taranaki

Manawatū-Whanganui

Rangitikei

Wellington

Tasman

Nelson

Marlborough

West Coast

Canterbury

Christchurch

Otago

Dunedin

Southland

See also

References

  1. ^ "Local Electoral Act 2001 No 35 (as at 24 January 2009), Public Act". Parliamentary Counsel Office. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "What are local elections?". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Enrol and Vote for the First Time". Electoral Commission. 30 March 2016. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.

External links

  • Local Government New Zealand
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General elections
Local elections
Referendums
Parliament-initiated
Citizens-initiated