Local elections 2025: Race begins in Whanganui with four vying for mayoralty
Regional election officer Warwick Lampp was pleased with the number of nominations in Whanganui.
'There are quite a few Māori wards around the country that only have one candidate, so they are running uncontested,' he said.
'I guess there is a bit of uncertainty around it.'
A referendum to decide the future of Māori wards will run alongside this year's election.
For the Whanganui Rural Community Board, there are nine nominations.
However, only the Whanganui subdivision will be contested.
Kiritahi Firmin, Jenny Tamakehu, Daryn Te Uamairangi and David Wells are running for two seats.
Jack Bullock, Brian Doughty and Quintin Handley will make up the Kai Iwi subdivision (three seats), and Charlie Anderson and Bill Ashworth will represent the Kaitoke subdivision (two seats).
In 2022, Whanganui voter turnout was 46.44%, up from 44.17% in 2019.
Whanganui District Council democracy services manager Anna Palamountain said turnout was always a challenge for councils, but this year the aim was to get to 50%.
'We did some work recently, touching base with hard-to-reach communities to explain what voting is and encourage them to enrol,' she said.
A special vote is required for those not enrolled by August 1.
'People who enrol to vote from now on have to come and do a special vote, which means coming in and seeing the council staff.
'It's very easy. You just don't get your papers in the mail.'
Rangitīkei District Council chief executive Carol Gordon.
Horizons Regional Council has two Whanganui seats, which will be contested by incumbent Alan Taylor, Martin Visser, Ben Fraser and Phill Haynes.
Nikki Riley is elected unopposed to Horizons' Ruapehu seat, with Bruce Gordon, Gordon McKeller, Nigel Barker and Carl Netzler competing for two seats in Manawatū-Rangitīkei.
There are four mayoral candidates in the Rangitīkei District - incumbent Andy Watson, David Christison, John Hainsworth and Simon Loudon.
The Rangitīkei District's Northern Ward has three candidates, Diana Baird, Peter Kipling-Arthur and Jeff Wong, for two seats, and the five Central Ward seats are being contested by eight candidates - Justin Adams, Alan Buckendahl, Christison, Fi Dalgety, Sandra Field, John Hainsworth, Bryan Hastings and Dave Wilson.
In the Southern Ward, Graham Jenkins, Graeme O'Fee, Bryan Rowe and Paul Sharland will contest two seats, with Coral Raukawa and David Yates the candidates for the Tiikeitia ki Tai (Coastal) Ward seat.
Tracey Piki Te Ora Hiroa will be elected unopposed in the Tiikeitia ki Uta (Inland) Ward.
Rangitīkei District Council chief executive Carol Gordon said she welcomed the strong response to this year's local elections, which reflected a healthy and engaged democracy.
'Local government is going through a period of significant change, and putting your hand up for election is no small undertaking,' she said.
'It is encouraging to see individuals who are clearly passionate about their communities, willing to lead and prepared to meet the challenges ahead.'
There are also four candidates for the Ruapehu mayoralty.
Incumbent Weston Kirton is up against councillors Lyn Neeson and Fiona Kahukua Hadley-Chase, and Grant Lethborg.
Voting in Whanganui, Ruapehu, South Taranaki and Rangitīkei runs from September 9 to October 11. Photo / NZME
There are 14 candidates for Ruapehu's General Ward (six seats) - Elise Adams, Roger Baker, John Chapman, Robyn Gram, Gary Griffin-Chappel, Viv Hoeta, Rhonda Kingston, Rabbit Nottage, Luke Pepper, Brenda Ralph, Elaine Reid, Sophie Stockbridge, Nicoleen Wessels, and Peter Zimmer.
Ruapehu's Māori Ward (three seats) will be contested by Channey Iwikau, Korty Wilson, Hadley-Chase, Marilyn Davis, Simon Hepi and Kuru Ketu.
Incumbent Phil Nixon is up against Clem Coxhead for the South Taranaki mayoralty, with Cheryl Luke-Maraki elected unopposed in the Te Tai Tonga Māori Ward, and Leanne Horo and Caroline Waiwiri contesting the Te Kūrae Māori Ward.
Mark Bellringer, Karen Cave, Steffy Mackay and Tim Taylor are running in the Eltham-Kaponga General Ward (two seats).
Mark Northcott and Brian Rook are unopposed in the Pātea General Ward, and Janet Fleming, Aarun Langton and Bryan Roach are contesting the Taranaki Coastal General Ward (two seats).
Te Hāwera General Ward's five seats will be contested by Andy Beccard, Heather Brokenshire, Raquel Cleaver-Pittams, Ngawai Hernandez-Walden, Te Aroha Hohaia, Diana Reid, and Garth Weir.
Palamountain said a community day in Whanganui would be organised for people to enrol and vote at the same time, along with a series of pop-up events.
'During the voting period [September 9 to October 11], our election hub and customer service will be manned so we can take special votes there as well,' she said.
'For people with voting papers, there will be 16 bins around the community.'
Voting papers will be delivered to households from September 9 to September 22, with voting open until noon on election day, October 11.
Official results across the four districts will be announced between October 14 and October 22.
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
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Photo / Allan Sole A current Katikati-Waihī Beach Ward councillor, Sole is standing to give strong governance for the council. With a background in business and years of governance experience, he said he brings practical knowledge and a people-first approach and works hard to listen and ensure people's voices are heard while pushing for prioritising essential services before extras, with tighter control over spending and debt. Sole does not support Māori wards, saying 'unity, not division'. Candice Thomas Candice Thomas. Photo / Candice Thomas Her hometown is Katikati. Thomas is a mother of three, a university graduate, a committee member and currently practising as a secondary school teacher. She is also a board member for Ngāti Ranginui iwi as a marae representative. Thomas said she has learned a lot about the lifestyles, local people, education systems, health standards, housing needs, community and public spaces within Katikati. 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Laura Rae No photo or information provided. Waka Kai Uru Māori Ward (1 vacancy) Carlton Bidois Suaree Borell Darlene Dinsdale The candidates did not provide photos or information. Community boards Katikati Community Board (4 vacancies) John Clements Barry Ebert Anne Henry Norm Mayo Annie McClenaghan James Sayer Puran Singh Candice Thomas Maketū Community Board (4 vacancies) Sue Elliot Weina Moko Stephan Simpson Cecil (Moki) Thomas Leni (Beau) Walters Aleisha Waterhouse Waihī Beach Community Board (4 vacancies) Ross Goudie Heather Guptill Annette Inglis Gail Kelly Nicky Mowat Wayne Stevenson Ōmokoroa Community Board Subdivision (2 vacancies) Chris Dever Allan Hughes Murray Marshall Kaimai West Community Board Subdivision (2 vacancies) Tina Akuhata Cherie Palm Tania Tuhakaraina Kaimai East Community Board Subdivision (2 vacancies) Bevan Rakoia Keith Wisnesky Te Puke Community Board Subdivision (3 vacancies) Kassie Ellis Dale Snell Karen Summerhays Marara Williams Eastern Community Board Subdivision (2 vacancies) Sally Benning Manvir Singh Mann. Key dates September 9 – Voting opens – Voting opens September 9–22 – Voting papers delivered to enrolled voters – Voting papers delivered to enrolled voters October 7 – Final day to post your vote in a NZ Post box – Final day to post your vote in a NZ Post box October 11 at midday – Voting closes Who can vote in the Western Bay of Plenty election You must: Be aged 18 or older Be a New Zealand citizen, a permanent resident or hold a valid resident's visa Hold a visa that does not require you to leave New Zealand within a specified time Have lived in New Zealand, continuously, at any time for one year or more Have lived at your current Western Bay address for more than a month. You might also be eligible if you are: A non-resident ratepayer who has applied for enrolment on the ratepayer roll A resident outside Western Bay nominated by a firm, company, corporation or society paying rates on a property in Western Bay of Plenty. How to enrol to vote in the election You can check if you are enrolled or enrol via If you can't enrol online, you can have an enrolment form emailed or posted for you to sign and return. You can also call 0800 367656 to arrange an enrolment form, or text 3676 to have a form posted to you. Completed forms can be emailed to enrol@ or posted to the Electoral Commission. How to vote in the election A voting pack should arrive in your letterbox from September 9 if you are enrolled. Vote by filling out the form, popping it into the free return envelope in the pack and posting it or dropping it into an orange voting bin at Western Bay Four Squares, supermarkets and community hubs. Anyone posting their vote will need to do so before October 7. Voting papers can also be dropped off, in their envelopes, Western Bay libraries and service centres. – LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
