Pepa meka
Fact sheet

The district council meets regularly to make many decisions that impact the day-to-day lives of people in the Far North district. The council governs a wide range of local services including roads, water systems, rubbish collection, libraries, parks, community centres, dog registration, community and economic development and district planning.

Local government triennial elections are being held by postal vote on Saturday 11 October 2025 and will be undertaken by Election Services, under contract to Far North District Council. The single transferable voting (STV) electoral system will be used for the Far North District Council elections, and the first past the post (FPP) electoral system will be used for the Northland Regional Council elections.

Nominations open  - Friday 4 July
Nominations close -  noon, Friday 1 August
Delivery of voting packs - From Tuesday 9 September
Close of voting  - noon, Saturday 11 October
Official results announced  - Friday 17 October

Mayor (elected ‘at large’)

Councillors (10)

1. Bay of Islands-Whangaroa General Ward (3)
2. Kaikohe-Hokianga General Ward (1)
3. Te Hiku General Ward (2)
4. Ngā Tai o Tokerau Māori Ward (4)

Community Board Members (19):

*Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board (7):

1. Kerikeri Subdivision (2)
2. Kawakawa-Moerewa Subdivision (1)
3. Paihia Subdivision (1)
4. Russell-Ōpua Subdivision (1)
5. Waipapa Subdivision (1)
6. Whangaroa Subdivision (1)

*Te Hiku Community Board (6):

1. Doubtless Bay Subdivision (1)
2. Kaitāia Subdivision (3)
3. North Cape Subdivision (1)
4. Whatuwhiwhi Subdivision (1)

*Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board (6):

1. Kaikohe Subdivision (3)
2. North Hokianga Subdivision (1)
3. South Hokianga Subdivision (2)

All eligible voters can vote for:

• The Mayor
• Their local Community Board
• Their Northland Regional Council representative(s)

In addition, there are two binding polls:

• Whether to retain or disestablish the Māori ward for Far North District Council
• Whether to retain or disestablish the Māori constituency for Northland Regional Council

Please note:  These decisions will apply at the 2028 and 2031 elections.

Depending on your roll:

• General Roll voters can vote for General Ward Councillors
• Māori Roll voters can vote for Māori Ward Councillors

• Kaikohe, Council offices, 5 Memorial Avenue,Kaikohe;
• Kaitāia Te Ahu, Cnr SH1 & Matthews Ave, Kaitāia;
• Kerikeri Proctor Library,6 Cobham Road, Kerikeri;
• Kawakawa Library, MacKereth Lane, Kawakawa;
• Kāeo Library, Leigh Street, Kaeo;
• Ōpononi iSite, 29 Hokianga Harbour Drive, Ōpononi;
• Paihia Library, 6 Williams Road, Paihia;
• Rāwene, 11 Parnell Street, Rāwene (Thursdays only)

To be eligible to stand for election, a candidate must be:

• A New Zealand citizen (by birth or naturalisation ceremony);  and
• Enrolled as a Parliamentary elector (anywhere in New Zealand); and
• Nominated by two electors whose names appear on the electoral roll within the respective area that a candidate is standing for.

*A candidate information handbook is available in May 2025.

If you're enrolled on the electoral roll by Friday 1 August 2025, you're eligible to vote in the upcoming local elections. 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.

Check the Roll

The Preliminary Electoral Roll will be available for public inspection from Friday 4 July to Friday 1 August 2025 at the following locations:

• Kaikohe Service Centre, 5 Memorial Avenue,Kaikohe;
• Kaitāia Service Centre (Te Ahu), Cnr SH1 & Matthews Ave, Kaitāia;
• Kerikeri Service Centre (Procter Library),6 Cobham Road, Kerikeri;
• Kawakawa Service Centre, MacKereth Lane, Kawakawa;
• Kāeo Service Centre, Leigh Street, Kaeo;
• Hokianga Service Centre (Ōpononi isite), 29 Hokianga Harbour Drive, Ōpononi;
• Paihia Library, 6 Williams Road, Paihia;
• Rāwene Service Centre, 11 Parnell Street, Rāwene (Thursdays only)

Resident Roll

If you're already enrolled as a parliamentary elector (including on the Māori Electoral Roll), you're automatically included on the Resident Roll at your residential address.

To update your details (like a change of address), you can:

• Fill out a form from the Electoral Commission, Council service centres, or libraries; or
• Call the Electoral Commission on 0800 36 76 56; or
• Visit www.vote.nz

Ratepayer Roll

If you’re enrolled in one area but pay rates on a property in another, you may qualify for the Ratepayer Roll. Companies or organisations that pay rates can also nominate one person (who lives outside the district) to vote on their behalf.

To enrol:

• Visit www.ratepayer.co.nz; or
• Call Election Services on 0800 922 822;
• Or complete the 2025 Ratepayer Enrolment Form

Progress results will be known early afternoon on election day, and preliminary results will be known on Sunday, 12 October 2025.

Final results will be known by Friday 17  October 2025, and all results will be accessible on our website.