Election 2025  |  30 Jul 2025

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Candidates wanting to run in the October local body elections are being urged to get their nominations in as soon as possible with a number of Council and Community Board seats still needing contenders.

Nominations close at noon on Friday 1 August

However, as of Wednesday 30 July, the Fendalton ward is yet to receive a candidate.

The Fendalton, Coastal, Spreydon, Lyttelton, Mount Herbert and Akaroa Community Board positions are also needing further candidates to fill the two vacancies.

View the candidates for Christchurch confirmed so far. 

Nominations opened on 4 July for the position of Mayor, 16 Councillors, and 37 members for the city’s six community boards.

Electoral Officer Warwick Lampp has urged potential candidates not to leave submitting their documents until the last minute, as any paperwork issues could affect their nomination.

Mr Lampp also advised those considering standing in the elections to read the candidate handbook carefully before doing their nomination.

“If you are a community-minded person that is keen to help make decisions about everything from public transport and parks to housing, climate action, and community services, now is the time to step forward.”

Nomination forms are available online or can be picked up in person at Council customer service hubs.

The Christchurch City Council website has a range of information about the election process and about the roles and responsibilities of elected members.

Read about the issues facing Christchurch this election.

Voting papers

Voting for the election opens from 9 September and closes at noon, Saturday 11 October.

Voters can post their completed voting papers into any NZ Post or DX Mail post box by Tuesday, 7 October.

Orange vote bins

Completed voting papers can also be dropped into an orange vote bin at Council facilities and locations in your community.

List of confirmed locations for vote bins.

The list contains the locations that are confirmed to host vote bins as of Tuesday July 29. New locations may be added to the list in the future.

Key dates

  • Friday 1 August: Nominations close at noon. Electoral roll closes at 5pm. 
  • Tuesday 9 September: Voting and special voting begins. 
  • Between Tuesday 9 September and 22 September: Voting documents delivered. 
  • 11 October: Election day. Voting closes at noon. Progress results will be available that afternoon. 
  • By 19 October: Declaration of results.