Campaign costs and spending limits

Campaign costs 

  • Auckland Council does not provide any funding for candidates. All campaign costs are paid by the candidate or private donations.
  • Some candidates spend almost nothing, others spend several thousand dollars.
  • There is a legal limit to how much you can spend on your campaign, based on the population of the area you are running in. Check the table of expenditure limits on this page or visit section 111 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 for more information.
  • Candidates must declare any donations and campaign expenses to the electoral officer by December 2025.

Typical campaign expenses may include election signs, leaflets and advertisements in newspapers or other media, including digital.

2025 campaign spending limits 

This information is based on the latest population estimates from Statistics New Zealand (at 30 June 2024). Expenditure limits include GST.

Elected positionLocation2025 population estimatesSpending limit
MayorAuckland1,222,421 electors$711,210
Ward councillorRodney82,200$50,000
Ward councillorAlbany204,400$60,000
Ward councillorNorth Shore155,300$60,000
Ward councillorWaitākere192,800$60,000
Ward councillorWaitematā and Gulf Islands96,500$50,000
Ward councillorWhau90,000$50,000
Ward councillorAlbert-Eden-Puketāpapa168,800$60,000
Ward councillorŌrākei87,300$50,000
Ward councillorMaungakiekie-Tāmaki85,700$50,000
Ward councillorHowick170,000$60,000
Ward councillorManukau183,800$60,000
Ward councillorManurewa-Papakura191,000$60,000
Ward councillorFranklin89,500$50,000

Local board/subdivision

Rodney (Northern Rodney)16,200$14,000

Local board/subdivision

Rodney (Southern Kaipara)16,950$14,000

Local board/subdivision

Rodney (Warkworth)18,150$14,000

Local board/subdivision

Rodney (Kumeū)20,600$20,000

Local board/subdivision

Rodney (Dairy Flat)10,300$14,000

Local board/subdivision

Hibiscus and Bays (Hibiscus Coast)66,700$40,000

Local board/subdivision

Hibiscus and Bays (East Coast Bays)53,300$30,000
Local boardUpper Harbour84,300$50,000
Local boardKaipātiki94,300$50,000
Local boardDevonport-Takapuna61,100$40,000
Local boardHenderson-Massey136,400$55,000
Local boardWaitākere Ranges56,400$30,000
Local board/subdivisionAotea / Great Barrier1260$3,500
Local boardWaiheke9400$7,000
Local boardWaitematā89,200$50,000
Local boardWhau90,000$50,000
Local board/subdivisionAlbert-Eden (Owairaka)51,500$30,000
Local board/subdivisionAlbert-Eden (Maungawhau)51,300$30,000
Local boardPuketāpapa62,600$40,000
Local boardŌrākei87,300$50,000
Local board/subdivisionMaungakiekie-Tāmaki (Maungakiekie)31,400$20,000
Local board/subdivisionMaungakiekie-Tāmaki (Tāmaki)54,300$30,000
Local board/subdivisionHowick (Pakuranga)43,800$30,000
Local board/subdivisionHowick (Howick)45,200$30,000
Local board/subdivisionHowick (Botany)28,700$20,000
Local board/subdivisionHowick (Flat Bush)52,200$30,000
Local boardMāngere-Ōtāhuhu85,900$50,000
Local board/subdivisionŌtara-Papatoetoe (Papatoetoe)63,800$40,000
Local board/subdivisionŌtara-Papatoetoe (Ōtara)34,100$20,000
Local boardManurewa108,900$55,000
Local boardPapakura82,000$50,000
Local board/subdivisionFranklin (Waiuku)16,900$14,000
Local board/subdivisionFranklin (Pukekohe)44,300$30,000
Local board/subdivisionFranklin (Wairoa)28,300$20,000