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Me pēhea te tū mai hei māngai mō te kōwhiringa pōti

How to become a candidate in the local elections

Who can be a candidate

To be a candidate for an elected member position, you must be:

  • a New Zealand citizen
  • over 18 years old
  • enrolled on the electoral roll.

You do not need any special qualifications. Elected members come from all backgrounds and walks of life.

To be effective you need a broad range of skills, such as:

  • decision making and strategic thinking
  • communication and community engagement
  • relationship building and collaboration.

Visit Skills and qualities you need to become an elected member for further information.

Video on why you should become a candidate

 

Read the full transcript of this video.

How to become a candidate

Nominations will open on 4 July 2025, but you can start preparing now:

Pay a nomination deposit

When filling in your nomination form between 4 July and 1 August 2025, you will need to pay a nomination deposit of $200.

This deposit applies to each election position you want to be a candidate for.

You should know

You do not need to live in the area you want to represent, but you will need to declare this in your candidate profile statement.
 
You need two people to nominate you. They must be over 18 and on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll within the area you want to represent as a candidate.

Video on how to become a candidate

 

Read the full transcript of this video.

You should know

We strongly recommend you submit your nomination forms early so that we can identify any potential problems for you before nominations close.

Get a copy of the Candidate handbook

Changes to election sign sites - July 2022

Auckland Transport has recently removed some sites from the list of approved election sign sites. This can happen when a site on the list is no longer appropriate for election signs – for example, a site on a park may now have a playground on it.

Check the updated list of approved sites on the Auckland Transport website.

How many positions you can be elected for

You can be a candidate for:

  • mayor
  • a ward councillor
  • a local board member.

If you are elected to more than one position, you will take the highest ranked position.

You can not be a candidate for more than one ward.

You can be a candidate for more than one local board but you can only be elected to one. If you are a candidate for more than one local board, you will need to state which one is your priority if you get elected to more than one.

You can also be a candidate for a licensing trust, if you live in the licensing trust area. You can only be a candidate for one licensing trust.

What candidates need to do

You should:

  • find out what is important to your local community
  • learn about Auckland's local government structure and the role of councillors, and local board members.

Visit What is involved in being an elected member for further information.

Getting votes

One of the main reasons people do not vote in local elections is that they do not know enough about the candidates and their views.

To run a successful campaign, you need to let local residents know the key issues you support within the community.

Find out about the key issues facing Auckland - read our Pre-election Report 2022.

Our tip

Read Understanding our key plans to find out what we have planned for the future.

Tips for connecting with people and getting more votes

  • Use social media channels like Facebook and Twitter for wider reach.
  • Door knock, address public meetings and talk to the public in shopping malls or weekend markets.
  • Look for interview opportunities on the radio, local newspapers or magazines.
  • Advertise your views in newspapers or on billboards.

When you can begin campaigning

You can start campaigning any time before the election, but you must declare any money you spend on your campaign.

Regulations for campaigning

There are regulations around campaigning, including:
  • how much you can spend
  • how and when you can display signage.

For full details, visit Rules for election signs and The Local Electoral Act 2001.

More information about becoming a candidate

Email the Electoral Officer at info@electionservices.co.nz for more information about becoming a candidate in 2025.

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