Photo: Kishan Modi / Unsplash
Auckland is slowly gearing up for the upcoming local elections in September and October.
Held every three years, the elections offer Auckland residents a chance to cast their votes for who they'd prefer to be their mayor, ward councillors and local board members.
Independent candidate Kerrin Leoni is expected to launch her campaign to go toe-to-toe with incumbent Mayor Wayne Brown for the top job on Friday evening.
There had been some speculation that Brown's own deputy, Desley Simpson, could challenge him for the role but she told RNZ in April she was undecided.
What follows is a primer on everything you need to know about Auckland's local elections.
An election? Didn't we just have one a couple of years ago?
New Zealand held its most recent general election in October 2023, with the National Party forming a coalition with ACT and New Zealand First after voters cast their ballots for the political parties they preferred.
In contrast, local elections in New Zealand use a direct election system that allows voters to choose their preferred individual candidates.
As a result, local government leaders are sometimes unaffiliated with a political party.
Even so, proxy groups with loose affiliations to the main political parties on a national level such as the right-leaning Communities & Residents and left-wing coalition City Vision have formed to back certain candidates.
Bucking the trend, David Seymour announced in March that the ACT Party would stand council candidates in the elections.
Auckland's last local elections were held in October 2022, with Brown winning the mayoralty against the late Faʻanānā Efeso Collins by roughly 57,000 votes.
Voter turnout for Auckland's local elections in 2022 and 2019 has hovered around 35 percent.
New Zealand operates a two-tier governance system:
- Central government
- Local government, which includes regional councils, city councils and district councils
There are currently 78 local government bodies in New Zealand:
- 11 regional councils
- 12 city councils
- 54 district councils
- Auckland Council, which combined eight former councils in 2010
The local governments are responsible for the administrative management of their jurisdictions and derive a major portion of their revenue from property rates.
What votes will I be eligible to cast in the elections?
Voters in Auckland's local elections will cast ballots for their preferred mayor, ward councillors, local board members and licensing trustees.
The super city is divided into 13 wards governed by 20 ward councillors.
Ward councillors and the mayor form the Governing Body, which makes regional decisions for Auckland. The body governs alongside local boards, which make local area decisions.
Ward boundaries are not permanently fixed. They are reviewed every six years to reflect changes in population distribution and ensure that each councillor represents approximately the same number of residents.
As a result, residents living near ward boundaries may need to verify which ward they belong to.
Local boards provide governance at the local level within Auckland Council.
Auckland has 21 local boards, each comprising five to nine members depending on the jurisdiction. A total of 149 local board members will be elected in this year's election.
Licensing trusts are responsible for alcohol licensing in particular areas, with trustees elected to represent the public in managing the trusts.
The Governing Body has decided not to add Māori seats to Auckland Council in the 2025 elections.
What are key dates do I need to keep in mind for the local election?
- 4 July: Candidate nominations open
- 1 August: Candidate nominations close
- 8 August: Candidates announced
- 9-22 September: Voting papers sent to enrolled voters
- 9 September - 11 October: Voting opens
- 11 October: Voting closes (12 noon)
- 11 October: Preliminary results published
- 14-17 October: Final results announced
How do I enrol?
To enrol in the local elections, voters must:
- Be 18 years old or older;
- Currently live in New Zealand;
- Be a New Zealand permanent resident or citizen;
- Hold an open-ended resident visa with no end date; and
- Have been living in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more
Eligible voters can register online at the Electoral Commission's website.
If voters have already enrolled for previous general or local elections and are a ratepayer in Auckland, there is no need for them to re-enrol, but they should ensure their residential address is updated.
How do I vote?
Unlike the general election, local elections are conducted via postal voting. Voters must ensure their ballots are mailed no later than 7 October.
Can I vote multiple times if I own multiple properties?
Yes, but under certain conditions.
Auckland Council's independent electoral officer, Dale Ofsoske from Independent Election Services, said property owners could vote wherever they paid rates.
"If you live in one local board area and pay rates on a property in another, you may be able to vote for local board members in both - to be eligible for that additional vote, you just need to enrol on the ratepayer electoral roll," Ofsoske said.
Ratepayers are eligible to enrol on the ratepayer electoral roll and vote in Auckland's local elections if they pay rates:
- On an Auckland property, but live elsewhere; or
- On two or more properties in different areas of Auckland.
Residents can check online if they have been included on the ratepayer electoral roll.
Ratepayers are not automatically included on the electoral roll - they must apply to be added.
If multiple owners are listed on a property title, only one owner can vote with that property's address.
A company or society that pays property rates can also qualify as a ratepayer elector.
How much do elected local officials get paid?
The annual salaries for elected officials are determined by the Remuneration Authority based on their expected working hours, responsibilities, and the size and population of the area represented.
The current rates are:
- Mayor: $306,952 per year (includes weekends and overtime with no specific hourly limits)
- Deputy mayor: $168,817 per year (full time, 40-plus hours per week)
- Ward councillors: base salary $111,782 per year (full time, 40-plus hours per week)
- Local board chairs: $62,282 to $111,623 per year (full time, 40 hours per week)
- Deputy local board chairs: $37,369 to $66,974 per year (part time, 20-30 hours per week)
- Local board members: $31,141 to $55,811 per year (part time, 12-24 hours per week)
- Licensing trustees: Paid per meeting hour, typically three to 10 hours per month, earning between $200 and $1020 per month
