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NZ Herald
7 days ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Local elections 2025: Race begins in Whanganui with four vying for mayoralty
In 2023, the council voted 8-5 to introduce a Māori ward for October's election, then reaffirmed the decision 11-2 in September last year. 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.
Scoop
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Mayors Face Multiple Challengers In Whanganui, Rangitīkei, Ruapehu
Local election nominations have closed with a last-minute flurry of nominations for seats on the Whanganui, Ruapehu, Rangitīkei district and Horizons regional councils. Nominations closed at 12 noon on Friday but were still being finalised on Friday afternoon. A public notice of the final list will be published on 6 August. Voting will take place between 9 September and 11 October. Whanganui District Council As at mid-afternoon on Friday, first-time mayor Andrew Tripe had three confirmed challengers for Whanganui's top job. Sitting councillors Josh Chandulal-Mackay and Peter Oskam will be joined by Gregory McPhee in the mayoral race. While Tripe is standing only for the mayoralty, his challengers are also general ward candidates. Four Māori candidates will stand for the council's two new Māori ward seats. They are Julie Herewini, Geoff Hipango, Hayden Potaka and Phil (Bear) Reweti. Meanwhile, 23 candidates will vie for 10 seats in the general ward, including sitting councillors Philippa Baker-Hogan, Glenda Brown, Ross Fallen, Kate Joblin, Michael Law, Charlotte Melser and Rob Vinsen. Māori candidates Awhi Haenga and Jay Rerekura are also standing in the general ward. According to the list of confirmed candidates mid-afternoon on Friday, Whanganui Rural Community Board members could be elected unopposed. They are David Wells and Daryn Te Uamairangi for the Whanganui community subdivision; Jack Bullock, Brian Doughty and Quentin Handley for Kai Iwi; and Charlie Anderson and Bill Ashworth for Kaitoke. Ruapehu District Council By mid-afternoon, incumbent Weston Kirton had three challengers for the mayoralty. Sitting councillors Fiona Kahukura Hadley-Chase and Lyn Neeson are joined by late entry Grant Lethborg. In the general ward, 14 candidates will run for six seats. They include deputy mayor Viv Hoeta and sitting councillors Robyn Gram, Rabbit Nottage and Brenda Ralph. Six candidates will stand for the three Māori ward seats. They are the three incumbents, Channey Iwikau, Korty Wilson and Hadley-Chase, and challengers Marilyn Davis, Simon Hepi and Kuru Ketu. Elections will also be required for the council's three community boards. For Ōwhango-National Park, there are seven candidates for five vacancies; Waimarino-Waiouru has 10 candidates for five places; and Taumarunui-Ōhura has eight candidates for five seats. Rangitīkei District Council In Rangitīkei, 32 candidates have put themselves forward for election. Long-serving mayor Andy Watson has three challengers: David Christison, John Hainsworth and Simon Loudon. Elections will also be required in the three wards, with three standing for two Northern seats, eight up for five Central ward vacancies, and four confirmed for two Southern places. Piki Te Ora (Tracey) Hiroa will be elected unopposed to the Tiikeitia ki Uta (inland) Māori ward as she was the only candidate. For Tiikeitia ki Tai, the coastal Māori seat, David Yates will challenge incumbent Coral Raukawa. The four Rātana Community Board candidates will be elected unopposed: Jason Hihira, Ruthie Lawrence, Charlie Mete and Grace Taiaroa. In Taihape, six candidates will compete for four vacancies. Among them is Hadley-Chase, who also stands for Ruapehu mayor, a Ruapehu Māori seat and the Taumarunui-Ōhura Community Board. According to election rules, a candidate can stand for mayor and/or councillor and also for community boards but, if elected to more than one position, must choose one. Candidates who stand for more than one board must specify which boards they are standing for, and rank each in order of priority should they be elected to more than one. This determines which position they would be elected to if successful in more than one post. Horizons Regional Council In the Palmerston North constituency, nine candidates were confirmed by mid-afternoon for four available seats, including deputy chair Jono Naylor and sitting councillors Wiremu Te Awe Awe and Fiona Gordon. For Manawatū-Rangitīkei's two vacancies, four candidates have been confirmed, including incumbents Bruce Gordon and Gordon McKellar. There are also four candidates for Whanganui's two seats, including sitting councillor Alan Taylor. Nikki Riley was the only confirmed candidate for the Ruapehu constituency, while Horowhenua had six candidates for two seats, and two were standing for one place in Tararua. The Raki Māori seat will be strongly contested, with three challengers for incumbent Turuhia (Jim) Edmonds. They are Soraya Peke-Mason, Elijah Pue and Tāwhiao McMaster. Sitting Tonga Māori councillor Te Kenehi Teira could be elected unopposed if no further candidates are confirmed.
