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 or watch this video in New Zealand Sign Language.

How to become a candidate 

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

Candidate handbook 

The official candidate handbook features important information for those considering running in the 2025 local elections. It includes key dates, electoral legislation, the nomination process, campaigning advice, election sign rules, special voting detail and more.

Pay a nomination deposit 

This year, candidate nominations will be online for the first time. Nominations open from 4 July until 1 August 2025.

When filling in your nomination form you will need to pay a nomination deposit of $200.

This deposit applies to each election position you are running for.

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 or watch this video in New Zealand Sign Language.

Learn about how to become a candidate in the Easy Read format.

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.

How to run for council course 

GLOW Aotearoa provides professional development and support for a diverse selection of local election candidates. Its free 12-week course includes:

  • online workshops
  • networking opportunities
  • peer support.

Those interested in taking part can register online. 

More information about becoming a candidate

Visit How to run a successful election campaign.

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