Get ready to vote in the local elections

Local elections give you choices about who will represent you at regional council, as well as district council.

Can’t wait to make your vote count in the local elections? You can have your say as soon as you receive your voting pack in the post.

Local elections give you choices about who will represent you at regional council, as well as district council.

Far North District Council is responsible for a huge range of services like roads, water systems, libraries, parks, community centres, dog registration, community and economic development, climate action and resilience, and district planning. Northland Regional Council manages natural resources – land, air, coast and the quality of water in our lakes and rivers. It is also responsible for biodiversity, flood protection, emergency management and regional transport.

You can pick your representatives for both the district and regional councils when voting packs are sent out on Tuesday 9 September 2025. The voting period runs for five weeks, closing midday Saturday 11 October. To post your completed voting documents, use the orange prepaid envelope included. Alternatively, you can deliver your forms to any one of our council service centres, or to one of our mobile ballot boxes which will be touring the district. Check our Speak Up and Vote website for mobile ballot box locations from Tuesday 9 September.

Not sure who to vote for? All confirmed Far North District Council candidates have the opportunity to tell you what they stand for, during short video clips that will be published from Monday 1 September on the Speak Up and Vote webpage. The videos complement traditional candidate handbooks included with voting papers, which feature a photo and statement from each candidate.

You can also check out a Meet the candidates event near you, to be a well-informed voter.

What you’ll be voting for

All eligible voters can vote for:

• The Far North Mayor
• Your local community board – based on the ward area you live in
• Your Northland Regional Council representative(s) – based on the ward area you live in.

In addition, depending on the roll you are on:

• General Roll voters will vote for Far North General Ward Councillors
• Māori Roll voters will vote for Ngā Tai o Tokerau Māori Ward Councillors.

Go here to find out how to check which electoral roll you are on.

Remember, there are two binding polls too:

• Whether to keep or remove the Māori ward for Far North District Council
• Whether to keep or remove the Māori constituency for Northland Regional Council.

These decisions will apply at the 2028 and 2031 elections.

Who can vote

If you were enrolled on the electoral roll by Friday 1 August 2025, you should receive your voting documents in the mail between Tuesday 9 and Monday 22 September.

This includes:

• Resident electors – people who live in the district and are enrolled to vote
• Non-resident ratepayer electors – people who live elsewhere but pay rates on a property in the district.

If you haven’t received your voting documents by Monday 15 September, please call Election Services on 09 973 5212. You can still lodge your vote by visiting one of our council service centres or Mobile Ballot Box Tour locations.

Special votes

Voters needing special voting documents can visit one of our council service centres or one of the Mobile Ballot Box Tour locations (check our website for confirmed locations from Tuesday 9 September).

Voters who have not received their voting packs, or who are not enrolled, can still have their say by casting a special vote at any one of our council service centres or Mobile Ballot Box Tour locations. On the final day of voting, only three service centres will have special voting capability – they are Kaitāia, Kaikohe or Kerikeri service centres.

Enrolling and voting on the same day is still available for this local election until 10 October – but don’t wait until the last minute!

Those not enrolled to vote, or who need to update their voting details can do so by going to vote.co.nz before casting their special vote.

Returning your voting papers

Once you’re ready to return your voting papers, you have several options:

• use the orange prepaid envelope sent with your voting forms
• go to one of our council service centres from Tuesday 9 September
• votes can also be hand-delivered to a one of the Mobile Ballot Box locations .

Deadline

Your opportunity to have your voice heard in this election finishes at midday Saturday 11 October 2025. The only council service centres accepting special votes on Saturday 11 October (until midday) are in Kaitāia, Kerikeri and Kaikohe.

To be counted, all completed voting documents must be in the hands of an electoral official by midday, Saturday 11 October 2025.

If you don’t vote you’re not in the boat.

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