2025 Tasman District Council election
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Council election | |||||||||
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Incumbents before election:
Mayoral election | |||||||||
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The 2025 Tasman District Council election is an upcoming local election to be held from 9 September to 11 October in the Tasman District of New Zealand as part of that year's nation-wide local elections. Voters will elect the mayor of Tasman, 14 district councillors, and eight community board members for the 2025–2028 term of the Tasman District Council. Postal voting and the first-past-the-post voting system will be used.
A Māori ward will be introduced for this election; its future will be decided in a referendum on the issue, as part of a nation-wide series of referendums.
Key dates
The following key dates apply for the 2025 local election:[1]
- 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates will open
- 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates will close at 12 noon
- 9 September 2025: Voting documents will be posted and voting will open
- 11 October 2025: Voting will close at 12 noon and progress/preliminary results will be published
- 17 October 2025: Final results will be declared.
Background
Representation
In 2023, Tasman District Council voted to establish a Māori ward for the 2025 local elections, named Te Tai o Aorere Māori. This ward will elect one councillor.[1] In April 2024, the government passed the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024 which requires councils that established Māori wards since 2020 without holding a referendum to hold a binding referendum as part of the 2025 local elections.[2] In September 2024, councillors voted for the Māori ward to remain for the 2025 election.[3] Consequently, voters will have a choice to vote in the Māori ward, and a referendum on whether to keep the ward for the 2028 local election will also be held.[4]
Apart from the Māori ward, Tasman District has five geographical wards, which elect thirteen councillors: four councillors for Richmond, three for Moutere–Waimea, three for Motueka, two for Golden Bay, and one for Lakes–Murchison. The mayor is elected at large. The council consulted in July and August 2024 whether the ward representation should change. Options were to reduce the number of councillors representing Golden Bay from two to one. Another option included reducing the number of geographical wards to three.[5] In the end, the elected members decided to make one minor change, with the Totara View area located south of Wakefield shifting from the Lakes–Murchison ward to the Moutere–Waimea ward.[6][7]
Campaign
List of candidates
Incumbents not seeking re-election
- Stuart Bryant (Lakes–Murchison ward), incumbent deputy mayor and district councillor since a June 1999 by-election, will retire at the 2025 election.[8][9]
- Barry Dowler, incumbent councillor for the Motueka ward[9]
Mayor
The first candidate for the mayoralty was Timo Neubauer, who declared his candidacy in early May 2025.[10]
| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timo Neubauer | Urban designer who lives in Hope.[10] | ||
Councillors
Te Tai o Aorere Māori ward
Te Tai o Aorere Māori ward will return one councillor to the district council.[12]
| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|
Richmond general ward
Richmond general ward will return four councillors to the district council.[12]
| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Shirley | ACT Local | [13] | |
Motueka general ward
Motueka general ward will return three councillors to the district council.[12]
| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Ross | ACT Local | [14] | |
Moutere-Waimea general ward
Moutere-Waimea general ward will return three councillors to the district council.[12]
| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|
Golden Bay general ward
Golden Bay general ward will return two councillors to the district council.[12]
| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|
Lakes-Murchison general ward
Lakes-Murchison general ward will return one councillor to the district council.[12]
| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|
Community boards
Tasman District Council has two community boards: one covering Golden Bay and the other for the Motueka ward. Four community board members will be elected per board.[1]
Results
Final results are expected by 17 October.
Summary
| Ward | Previous | Elected | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Tim King | to be determined | ||
| Golden Bay | Celia Butler | |||
| Chris Hill | ||||
| Lakes / Murchison | Stuart Bryant | |||
| Motueka | Barry Dowler | |||
| Brent Maru | ||||
| Trindi Walker | ||||
| Moutere / Waimea | Mike Kininmonth | |||
| Christine Mackenzie | ||||
| Dan Shallcrass | ||||
| Richmond | Glen Daikee | |||
| Jo Ellis | ||||
| Mark Greening | ||||
| Kit Maling | ||||
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Result not yet known | ||
| Total votes | — | 100.00 |
Other local elections
Voters in the district will also elect members of two community boards (Golden Bay and Motueka).[15]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g 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. Tasman District Council does not allow election slogans to be used for the affiliation.[11]
References
- ^ a b c "Candidate Handbook" (PDF). Tasman District Council. May 2025. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "Māori wards ultimatum for councils as coalition government imposes referendums". Radio New Zealand. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Gee, Samantha (5 September 2024). "Nelson, Tasman councils vote to retain Māori wards". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "About Māori wards and constituencies". Taituarā. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Frethey, Max (20 July 2024). "Two councillors, or not two councillors, that is the question for Golden Bay". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Frethey, Max (4 October 2024). "The Tasman council ward that 'makes absolutely no sense' to remain". Stuff. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "Wakefield's Totara View To Join Moutere–Waimea Ward" (Press release). Richmond: Tasman District Council. Scoop. 26 March 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ Sivignon, Cherie (1 November 2022). "Stuart Bryant re-elected as deputy mayor of Tasman District Council". Stuff. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b Ridout, Amy (24 February 2025). "Tasman council stalwarts standing down". The Nelson Mail. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b Frethey, Max (7 May 2025). "Tasman 'ready for change' – urban designer launches mayoral campaign". The Press. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Pukapuka Aratohu Kaitonopōti | Candidate Handbook. Tasman District Council. May 2025. p. 13.
- ^ a b c d e f "Representation Review". shape.tasman.govt.nz. Tasman District Council. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "ACT Announces Daniel Shirley As ACT Local Candidate For Tasman" (Press release). ACT New Zealand. Scoop. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Retired Pharmacist And Business Owner, David Ross, Selected As ACT Local Candidate For Motueka Ward" (Press release). ACT New Zealand. Scoop. 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Elections". www.tasman.govt.nz. Tasman District Council. Retrieved 19 June 2025.