STAND for Local Council

• Mayor
• Councillor
• Community Board member
• Local licensing trust or other trust

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

Nominations form – Mayor

Nominations form – Councillor

Nominations form – Community Board

Nominations form – Community Trust

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

Vote Local – Information for Māori Candidates

LGNZ – Candidates’ Guidance

A presentation on standing for council took place on Wednesday 25 June 2025.

The presentation covered 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 were not able to attend this session in person, a recording is available on our YouTube channel here.

For more details on ward boundary lines see Stats NZ – Geographic Boundary Viewer 
Choose “Layers” on the right-hand side of the page to access the Ward, Māori Ward and Community Board boundary layers.

For further information about this information evening please contact elections@swdc.govt.nz

In case you missed the presentation, you can have a read through it here: 2025 Local Elections Candidate Briefing Presentation

South Wairarapa District Council’s Policy on Election Signs

Election campaigning can begin anytime but must cease by midnight Friday 10 October 2025. No election campaigning (including the display of election signs) is permitted on
Election Day, Saturday 11 October 2025. Election signs not exceeding 3 sq metres in face area are permitted on private property, with the consent of the owner, at any time not exceeding eight (8) weeks before Election Day, up to and until midnight Friday 10 October 2025. Election signs are not permitted to be erected on Council owned land or road reserve.

Please refer to page 28 of the Candidate Handbook for the guidelines relating to Local Body Election Signs on State Highways.

Content of election signs
Queries regarding content of election signs including authorisations are to be made to the Electoral Officer. The Electoral Officer will make a candidate aware of any campaign material that does not have an appropriate authorisation.

Queries regarding the placement, size, construct, size of lettering or non-compliant hoardings are to be made to Council’s Planning department: planning@swdc.govt.nz, 06 3069 611.

Such complaints may result in the sign being removed by Council staff.