2025 Rotorua Lakes Council election
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The 2025 Rotorua Lakes Council election is an upcoming local election to be held from 9 September to 11 October in the Rotorua Lakes District of New Zealand as part of that year's nation-wide local elections. Voters will elect the mayor of Rotorua and 10 district councillors for the 2025–2028 term of the Rotorua Lakes Council. Postal voting and the first-past-the-post voting system will be used.
The council introduced a Māori ward at the 2022 election; its future will be decided in a referendum on the issue, as part of a nation-wide series of referendums.
Key dates
- 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates will open
- 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates will close at 12 pm
- 9 September 2025: Voting documents will be posted and voting will open
- 11 October 2025: Voting will close at 12 pm and progress/preliminary results will be published
- 16–19 October 2025: Final results will be declared.[1][2][3]
Background
Campaign
List of candidates
Incumbents not seeking re-election
- Gregg Brown, councillor for Te Ipu Wai Auraki general ward[4][5]
- Lani Kereopa, councillor for Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward since 2022[4][5]
Mayor
| Candidate | Photo | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tania Tapsell | Incumbent mayor since 2022[4][5] |
Councillors
Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward
Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward will return three councillors to the district council.[7][8]
| Candidate | Photo | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Te Whatanui Leka Skipwith | Advocate for the protection of Lake Rotokākahi[9] |
Te Ipu Wai Auraki general ward
Te Ipu Wai Auraki general ward will return six councillors to the district council.[7][8]
| Candidate | Photo | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Lee | Incumbent councillor[4][5] | ||
| Don Paterson | Incumbent councillor[4][5] | ||
| Fisher Wang | Incumbent councillor[4][5] |
Rotorua Rural ward
The Rotorua Rural ward will return one councillor to the district council.[7][8]
| Candidate | Photo | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Barker | Incumbent councillor[4][5] |
Other local elections
Voters will also elect members of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (one member partially from the district in the Rotorua general constituency and one member partially from the district in the Ōkurei Māori constituency)[2][10] and members of the Waikato Regional Council (one member partially from the district in the Taupō-Rotorua constituency and one member partially from the district in the Ngā Tai ki Uta constituency).[3][11] Voters will also elect members of the Rotorua Lakes and Rotorua Rural community boards.
Notes
- ^ a b c d A candidate may leave their affiliation blank, run as an independent, or run with an affiliation to an organisation, local body ticket or political party. Rotorua Lakes Council does not allow whānau, hapū, or iwi details to be used for the affiliation.[6]
References
- ^ "Local Elections". www.rotorualakescouncil.nz. Rotorua Lakes Council. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Elections". www.boprc.govt.nz. Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Local authority elections are being held in October 2025". www.waikatoregion.govt.nz. Waikato Regional Council. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Smith, Laura (17 April 2025). "Elections 2025: Which of Rotorua's mayor and councillors will stand again". Rotorua Daily Post. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mayor & Councillors". www.rotorualakescouncil.nz. Rotorua Lakes Council. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ "Pukapuka Aratohu Kaitonopōti | 2025 Candidate". r3nk7o.digitalcityplatform.online. Rotorua Lakes Council. p. 14. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ a b c "Determination" (PDF). www.lgc.govt.nz. Local Government Commission. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ a b c Smith, Laura (2 September 2024). "Rotorua Lakes Council to hold binding Māori ward poll at 2025 election". Stuff. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ Taketake, Reanga (30 May 2025). "Press Release: Te Whatanui Leka Skipwith Announces Candidacy For Māori Ward In Rotorua Local Body Elections Rotorua, Aotearoa". Community Scoop. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ^ "Your councillors". www.boprc.govt.nz. Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ "Constituencies". www.waikatoregion.govt.nz. Waikato Regional Council. Retrieved 8 April 2025.