The local elections are being held on Saturday 11 October 2025 to elect the Mayor and eight Councillors. There will also be a poll on whether to keep or remove the Kawerau Māori Ward.
To have your say, you must be enrolled to vote and choose your new Mayor and Council.
If you are enrolling for the first time, and are of Māori descent, you can choose to enrol on the Māori Roll or General Roll.
People enrolled by 1 August 2025, will receive their voting papers between 9 and 22 September 2025 at home in the post. If you enrol after 1 August 2025, you will need to make a Special Vote.
Thinking about standing for Kawerau District Council?
Nominated Candidates - Local Body Elections 2025
Basis of Election for the 2025 Local Elections
To stand or vote in the Local Government Elections for candidates standing to represent the Kawerau District Council, you need to be enrolled.
Who can enrol?
- People who are 18 years or older
- New Zealand citizens or a permanent resident who has lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more at some time in your life
- People who have lived at their current address for more than one month
If you are enrolled for parlimentary elections, you are automatically enrolled for Council elections.
It's easy to enrol or update your enrolment details (like your address)
- Enrol at vote.nz
- Call 0800 36 76 56
- Freetext your name and address to 3676
- Email enrol@vote.nz
If you don't live in Kawerau, but you pay rates on a property here, you can enrol using the ratepayer enrolment form.
Ratepayer enrolment online portal >
Ratepayer enrolment form for Ratepayer Electors
When can you choose rolls?
The Māori Electoral Option is a choice for people of Māori descent about which electoral roll to be on.
If you are already enrolled, the date to change onto either the Māori electoral roll or general electoral roll for the Local Elections 2025 paused on 11 July 2025. For more information about the Māori Electoral Option or about enrolling to vote, contact the Electoral Commission.
If you are enrolling for the first time and are of Māori descent, you can choose to be on the Māori electoral roll or general electoral roll.
Wātaka | Timeline
2025 Local Government Elections
| Anytime | Check vote.nz or call 0800 36 76 56 so you are enrolled to vote or stand in elections |
| Wednesday 28 May, 5-7pm | Candidate Information Evening, Concert Chamber, Kawerau |
| Friday 4 July | Candidate nominations open and roll opens for public inspection |
| Friday 10 July midnight | Māori Roll changes pause (last day to change rolls) |
| Friday 1 August 12 noon | Candidate nominations close (12 noon) |
| Tuesday 9 September - Friday 22 September | Voting documents delivered by post to homes |
| Tuesday 9 September - midday Saturday 11 October | Voting forms can be completed and posted back to Election Services; or dropped to the secure ballot boxes at the Council Office, District Library or Kawerau New World. |
| Tuesday 7 October | Last day for posting vote by mail. After this date votes must be returned to council's secure ballot boxes |
Midday - 12 noon Saturday 11 October | Election Day - Voting closes at midday 12 noon Votes can be dropped to secure ballot boxes located at:
|
| Friday 17 October | Declaration of election and poll results |
| October 22 or 29 (TBC) | Elected members' Inauguration Ceremony (swearing in) |
