Local Elections 2025

As a resident you can enrol to vote if you are 18 years or older, a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident or 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. 

The last day to enrol to vote in the local elections is Friday 10 October 2025. If you enrol or update your address after 1 August 2025, you won’t get your voting papers sent to you in the mail. You’ll need to contact Kaipara District Councils electoral officer Dale Ofsoske on 09 973 5212, 0800 922 822 or email dale@electionservices.co.nz

Check you are enrolled to vote and update your details here.
Māori roll or general roll explainer

How to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer 

If you own property in Kaipara District but live elsewhere you may qualify to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer elector and vote in both areas.

To check your eligibility and enrol, visit the Election Services ratepayer enrolment portal alternatively download the Enrolment Form for Ratepayer Electors (PDF 180kb).

Can’t make it to a permanent voting location?

Our trained team will be coming to a location near you and can support you to enrol, special vote or simply drop off your completed voting papers. 

Saturday 20 September  
Te Kopuru Coronation Hall, 9am to 3pm  

Monday 22 September  
Glinks Gully playground, 2 to 3.30pm  

Tuesday 23 September  
Waipoua Visitors Centre, 8 to10am  
Aranga Primary School carpark, 10.30 to 1pm  
Omamari Reserve, 2 to 3.30pm  

Wednesday 24 September  
Pouto Point carpark, 8 to 9.30am  
Kellys Bay Reserve, 10.30am to12pm  
Ripia Church carpark, 1 to 3pm  

Thursday 25 September  
Tangiteroria Sports Complex, 8 to10am  
Tangowahine Primary School carpark, 10.30am to 12pm  
Arapohue Hall carpark, 1 to 3pm  

Friday 26 September  
Tinopai Hall carpark, 8 to 11am  
Matakohe School carpark, 11.30am to 1pm  
Paparoa Reserve carpark, 1.30 to 3pm  

Saturday 27 September  
Kaihu Hall, 9am to 3pm  

Monday 29 September  
Whakapirau Wharf carpark, 8 to 10am  
Otamatea Marae Carpark, 10.30am to 1pm  

Tuesday 30 September  
Oruawharo Marae Carpark, 9 to 11am  
Te Pounga Church, Nathan Road, 12 to 2pm  
Rangiora Road carpark, 2.30 to 4pm  
Hakaru Hall, 4.30 to 6pm  

If you have not enrolled to vote, enrolled after 1 August 2025 or your voting pack is damaged or lost, you will need to cast a special vote.  

You can cast a special vote if you: 

• have not received your voting pack in the mail, voting packs are being sent Tuesday 9 September 2025 
• Your voting pack has been lost or damaged 
• Enrolled after 1 August 2025 
• will be travelling during the voting period 
• are eligible to vote but your name does not appear on the final electoral roll 
• are turning 18 after the electoral roll closes but before 11 October 2025 

To cast a special vote, you will need to enrol online. You do not need ID to cast a special vote. 

A special vote pack includes: 

• a special voting document 
• a special voting declaration 
• a copy of the voters guide 
• two envelopes. 

Where to cast a special vote  

• Dargaville Kaipara District Council office  
• Mangawhai Kaipara District Council office
• Contacting Election services on 0800 922 822, email info@electionservices.co.nz or by completing the online form to receive your special voting pack in the mail.

You can also Special vote at the Mobile voting locations. 

Saturday 20 September  
Te Kopuru Coronation Hall, 9am to 3pm  

Monday 22 September  
Glinks Gully playground, 2 to 3.30pm  

Tuesday 23 September  
Waipoua Visitors Centre, 8 to10am  
Aranga Primary School carpark, 10.30 to 1pm  
Omamari Reserve, 2 to 3.30pm  

Wednesday 24 September  
Pouto Point carpark, 8 to 9.30am  
Kellys Bay Reserve, 10.30am to12pm  
Ripia Church carpark, 1 to 3pm  

Thursday 25 September  
Tangiteroria Sports Complex, 8 to10am  
Tangowahine Primary School carpark, 10.30am to 12pm  
Arapohue Hall carpark, 1 to 3pm  

Friday 26 September  
Tinopai Hall carpark, 8 to 11am  
Matakohe School carpark, 11.30am to 1pm  
Paparoa Reserve carpark, 1.30 to 3pm  

Saturday 27 September  
Kaihu Hall, 9am to 3pm  

Monday 29 September  
Whakapirau Wharf carpark, 8 to 10am  
Otamatea Marae Carpark, 10.30am to 1pm  

Tuesday 30 September  
Oruawharo Marae Carpark, 9 to 11am  
Te Pounga Church, Nathan Road, 12 to 2pm  
Rangiora Road carpark, 2.30 to 4pm  
Hakaru Hall, 4.30 to 6pm 

Current local election legislation does not allow online or electronic voting, voting outside of the voting period or voting on behalf of someone else. 

Voting packs for the local elections will be posted out Tuesday 9 September 2025.  

If you are outside of New Zealand during the voting period (9 September to 11 October 2025), you have two options: 

• ask someone to forward your voting pack to your overseas address 
• email specialvotes@electionservices.co.nz to request a special voting pack. Include the residential address where you are enrolled to vote and the overseas address where you want the pack sent. 

Please note Your completed voting pack must arrive to election services before 12 noon Saturday 11 October 2025, late votes will not be counted. 

View the candidate information for:

• Mayoral candidates
• Wairoa Ward candidates
• Otamatea Ward candidates
• Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Ward candidates

In 2023 Council agreed to introduce the First Past the Post (FFP) electoral system which means the candidate(s) with the most votes are elected. 

Northland Regional Council also uses FPP (first past the post) electoral system. 

Find out more on FPP.

Search an address or location to find what ward you are in on the 2025 Kaipara District Council wards map.

2025 Local elections resources

2025 Local Elections FAQs (pdf 915kb)
2025 Local Elections General Fact Sheet (pdf 469kb)
2025 Local Elections Timetable (pdf 168kb)
2025 Elections Brochure (pdf 965kb)
2025 Pre-Election Report (pdf 4mb)
2025 Local Elections Mobile Voting poster (pdf 125kb)

You have the option to enrol on either the Māori roll or the general roll, if you are of Māori descent. This decision affects who you vote for in both general and local elections and helps shape the number of Māori and general electorates in Parliament.

You make your roll choice when you enrol for the first time. You can change it anytime, except in the three months before a general or local election, or just before a by election. To switch rolls ahead of this year’s local election, you must do so before midnight on 10 July 2025.

There is no Māori ward for the 2025 Kaipara District Council elections, following the decision to disestablish the ward in 2024. If you are on the Māori electoral roll you will vote for the ward you are a resident or ratepayer in — Wairoa, Otamatea, or Kaiwaka-Mangawhai.

Northland Regional Council elections

Kaipara residents on the Māori roll will still vote in the Te Raki Māori constituency for the Northland Regional Council.

Everyone in Kaipara, whether on the Māori roll or the general roll, will vote to keep or to remove the Te Raki Māori constituency in the 2028 and 2031 elections. For more information visit the Northland Regional Council website.

• Check you are enrolled to vote and update your details here. 

The 2024 Representation Review final proposal has now been adopted, setting the representation arrangements for at least the 2025 elections. Representation arrangements for at least the 2025 local elections are to be a mayor elected at-large and eight councillors elected across three wards: Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Ward with three councillors, Otamatea Ward with two councillors, and Wairoa Ward with three councillors.

Find out more on our Representation Review webpage.

Standing for council

Nominations for the Mayor and councillors closed at 12 noon on Friday 1 August 2025.

• Public notice of election day and the nominations received - 06 August 2025.
• View the list of candidates.
• Meet the candidates events happening around the district.

Helpful information for candidates

• Candidate Information Handbook Please note this is a large file and will take some time to download pdf (pdf 19mb)
• Local Government Election Year Protocols for Elected Members (pdf 226km) 
• Candidate Information Evening livestream recording
• Election signs – 'How to Guide' This is a large file and will take some time to download (pdf 24mb)
• Communications in the pre-election period guide (24mb)
• Vote Local: Information for candidates 2025