VOTE

This is your chance to say who you want to represent you when making decisions for our district over the next three years. The people elected to Council will make many decisions on your behalf. They will set South Wairarapa District Council’s rates and decide how the community’s money should be spent to achieve a sustainable district. 

This year you will also be asked to vote for Māori Wards. Your vote to keep or remove the Māori Ward for South Wairarapa will apply for the 2028 and 2031 local elections.

How to cast a special vote?

If you have not enrolled to vote, or your voting pack is damaged or lost, you will need to cast a special vote.

Who can cast a special vote?

You can cast a special vote if you:

• have not received a voting pack in the mail
• have lost or damaged your voting pack
• have not enrolled to vote on time
• will be travelling during the voting period
• are eligible to vote but your name does not appear on the final electoral roll
• are turning 18 after the electoral roll closes but before election day.

Special voting pack contents

A special vote pack includes:

• a special voting document
• a special voting declaration
• two envelopes.

Request a special voting pack 

The packs will be available during the voting period, from Tuesday 9 September to Saturday 11 October 2025. You can also email elections@swdc.govt.nz to request a special voting pack.

If you’re on the unpublished roll, your name will not appear on the printed electoral roll. You need to get in touch with us via phone 06 306 9611 or email elections@swdc.govt.nz as your voting papers will not be sent to you in the mail.

If you’re overseas, you can enrol to vote in the local elections if you are a New Zealand citizen who has been in New Zealand within the last 3 years, or you’re a New Zealand permanent resident who has been in New Zealand in the last 12 months.

Make sure you’re correctly enrolled with an overseas postal address to get your voting papers. You can’t download or return voting papers electronically for local elections.

Current local election legislation does not allow:

• online or electronic voting (including voting by email when overseas)
• any voting outside of the official period 
• voting on behalf of someone else.

International travel out of the voting period 

Voting packs for the local elections will be posted out between Tuesday 9 September and Monday 22 September 2025. 

If you are outside of New Zealand during the voting period (9 September to 11 October 2025), you have two options:

• ask someone to forward your voting pack to your overseas address
• email election@swdc.govt.nz to request a special voting pack. Include:
  • the residential address where you are enrolled to vote
  • the overseas address where you want the pack sent.

Keep in mind how long it might take for mail to reach you and get back to New Zealand. Your completed voting pack must arrive to us before 12 noon on Saturday 11 October 2025. Late votes will not be counted and local election voting papers cannot be downloaded electronically.

How to request a special voting pack 

Email election@swdc.govt.nz to request a special voting pack to be sent to your overseas address. You are responsible for the return postage. Your completed vote must reach us by Saturday 11 October 2025.

Enrol from overseas

We have a ratepayer roll for people who pay rates on a property but live in another part of the country. In that situation, a person can vote in the area where they live, and the area where they pay rates.

Apply to be a non-resident ratepayer elector.