How postal voting works
Current legislation states that local elections must be run by postal voting.
If you are an enrolled voter, you will get your voting documents in your letter box between Friday 16 September 2022 to Wednesday 21 September 2022.
To make sure your voting papers are sent to your current address, you need to have either enrolled or(the following link will take you to a page written in English)
updated your address before Monday 12 September 2022. That is when the Electoral Officer certifies the final electoral roll.
What to do if you don't receive your voting papers
If your voting pack does not arrive in the post – as you may have recently changed address or you might be on the unpublished electoral roll – call the Electoral Office on 0800 922 822 and we will post out a special vote to you.
Where to drop off your voting papers
You can drop your voting papers into any New Zealand Post box and you do not need to pay for postage.
There will also be a number of locations throughout the city, including Auckland Council libraries and service centres and some supermarkets, where you will be able to drop off your voting papers up until 12 noon on Saturday 8 October 2022.
Just make sure you post your papers before Wednesday 5 October 2022, to make sure they arrive back to the Electoral Officer before the close of voting.
We will publish further details about these locations closer to the time.
Information for candidates
Elected members come from diverse backgrounds and bring a range of different skills and experiences to the role.
You don't need any specific qualifications to become a candidate in the local elections.
You just need to be:
- a New Zealand citizen; and
- aged 18 years or older; and
- enrolled on the electoral roll.
A day in the life of an elected member
Elected members play a varied role in the day-to-day running of our city.
As an elected member, you will:
- help decide how Auckland's money is spent
- make decisions that will help define the future for our communities
- help businesses grow and prosper
- decide how to meet the current and future needs for infrastructure, public services and regulations
- help manage our assets, worth $42 billion.
On any given day, you may:
- read and prepare for the upcoming week's meetings
- vote in various decision-making meetings and committees
- engage with the public to hear their views
- attend events like public meetings, citizenship ceremonies, or the opening of a new park or cycleway
- represent the council at community and cultural events like Matariki, Pasifika Festival, Chinese New Year, Diwali and the Auckland Pride festival
- take part in community activities, like a working bee for a local stream regeneration project.
Skills and qualities that make a successful elected member
Key skills required to be successful as an elected member and represent the people of Auckland include:
- Time commitment – you will often work outside of normal office hours and will need to be flexible and able to prioritise your time.
- Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi – knowledge of local iwi, tea o Maori and tikanga is an asset
- Communication – you will often have to speak publicly at meetings and events and will need to confidently express your views and opinions
- Tech savvy - a large part of the role involves technology, so you should know how to use email, MS Teams, a smartphone and a computer or tablet.
- Strategic thinking and decision-making - you need to be able to balance conflicting views, consider the financial and long-term consequences of decisions, and keep an open mind when making decisions.
- Relationship building - you need to build and maintain productive and respectful relationships with people from different cultures and disciplines, including community members and council employees.
Salary of an elected member
Elected members receive a salary that is fixed by an independent agency (the Remuneration Authority). The salary is based on the expected time and work commitment of the role, on the size of the area and number of constituents represented.
Local boards members work on average 12-24 hours a week and are paid between $28,000 to $49,500 depending on the local board. Each local board will elect a chair and deputy chair among its members – these roles require a bigger time commitment (20-40 hours a week) and receive an annual salary of $34,200 to $99,000.
Councillors work full-time – 40 hours or more a week – and receive a $106,306 annual base remuneration.
The mayor works full-time 40 hours or more a week, with a significant professional and personal commitment, including after hours and weekends. He receives an annual salary of $296,000
(The following link will take you to a page written in English)
See full details of the responsibilities and salary for each role
Assisted participation services
How to get assistance with voting
If you are an eligible voter and are unable to complete your voting documents unassisted, you can request assistance from one of our trained staff member. You just need to call the Electoral Office on
09 973 5212 or
0800 922 822 to arrange an appointment.
