STAND for local council
By being an elected a member of a council, or local or community board, you’ll be making a positive difference for people and communities for today and into the future.
People elected to sit on Council or a Board are responsible for representing their community and for the governance of the community. A further key responsibility is to uphold the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi.
Representation is to speak on behalf of individuals and organisations in your community, to act in their best interests, make decisions that consider the needs of both current and future generations. It is about fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging and ensuring all voices are heard.
Roles candidates can stand for
- Mayor
- Councillor
- Community Board member
- Local licensing trust or other trust
Nomination process
The process involves:
- Completing an official nomination form and sending to the council’s electoral officer. More details and the form will be available closer to the opening of nominations.
- Nominations from two people. Candidates cannot nominate themselves, and people who nominate candidates must be over 18 years old and enrolled to vote in the area the candidate is planning to stand.
- Candidates must consent to their nomination going forward.
- A $200 deposit must be paid, which may be refunded depending on election results.
- Candidates must be New Zealand citizens who are over 18 years old and enrolled to vote.
Candidate nominations are open from 4 July until 1 August at 12 noon, 2025
Learn more about being an elected member
Local government is how communities make democratic decisions about how their towns, cities and regions work and how they develop in the future. If you’re interested in standing as a candidate visit the links below for more information and complete the free ākona course from LGNZ.
Vote Local – Information for Candidates
Candidate information evening 25 June
A presentation on standing for council will be given in the Supper Room, Waihinga Centre in Martinborough at 7.00pm on Wednesday 25 June 2025.
This presentation will cover how the council is structured, the role and responsibilities of elected representatives, the skills required, anticipated time commitments and meeting schedules and an overview of the nomination and election processes.
If you can not attend in person, this meeting will also be streamed online and a recording will be available afterwards.
For further information about this information evening please contact elections@swdc.govt.nz
Need help?
Phone: 06 306 9611
Email: elections@swdc.govt.nz