Elections
Council Elections 2025
Residents can enrol and vote in the 2025 election. Non-residents who do not live in the District, but own property here (e.g., holiday home, business), can also vote. The rules applying to which set of councillors they vote for are determined by their electoral roll and location of property (e.g., within or outside of Feilding).
Voting Options
Voting papers will present multiple options to voters. We use the First Past the Post system of voting - more information on this can be found here:
- Mayor of the Manawatū District Council
- One of the below three sets of candidates for the Manawatū District Council:
- 5x Feilding ward councillors (if on the General electoral roll and residing within Feilding)
- 5x Rural ward councillors (if on the General electoral roll and residing outside Feilding)
- 1x Māori ward councillor (if on the Māori electoral roll and residing anywhere in the District)
- One of the below two sets of candidates for the Horizons Regional Council:
- 2x Manawatū-Rangitikei regional councillors (if on the General electoral roll)
- 1x Māori regional councillor (if on the Māori electoral roll)
- Poll on whether the Manawatū District Council should retain a Māori ward councillor, for at least the next two elections (2028 and 2031).
- Poll on whether the Horizons Regional Council should retain a Māori ward constituent, for at least the next two elections (2028 and 2031).
Polls on Māori wards and Māori constituents
The Government passed the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024, which came into force on 30 July 2024. This Act made several changes to the mechanisms for establishing Māori wards:
- Reintroduced the option for the community to demand a binding poll after the establishment of a Māori ward by a council.
- Requires several councils (including both the Manawatū District Council and Horizons Regional Council) to hold a binding poll at the 2025 elections on whether or not to retain their current Māori wards or constituents.
Key Dates
| Date (2025) | Event |
|---|---|
| May | Candidate handbook published* |
| July | Pre-election report published |
| 03 July | Public Notice of Election |
| 04 July | Candidate nominations OPEN |
| 11 July | Switching between electoral rolls suspended |
| 01 August | Candidate nominations CLOSE. Nominations close at 12pm midday, and further nominations cannot legally be accepted after this time |
| 01 August | Electoral roll closes. Special votes can be completed by voters who are not enrolled before this date |
| 06 August | Candidate names published |
| 09-22 September | Delivery of voting documents |
| 09 September to 11 October | Voting Period. Including special votes for those not enrolled |
| 11 October | Election Day. Voting closes at 12pm midday, and votes cannot legally be accepted after this time, except for individuals already inside at a voting station |
| 11 October | Progress results published (as soon as practical) |
| 16 October | Official results published |
*Published means that the information will be available on our website, and hardcopies published at both our main Council office and Community Hub libraries. Important information will be publicised via our social media platforms, the Antenno app, and local newspapers.
Enrolling to Vote
You must be enrolled on either the Māori electoral roll or the General electoral roll in order to vote in both Council elections and National elections. Voters should enrol by 01 August to appear on the electoral roll and cast an ordinary vote, however if people miss this date they can still cast a special vote at the Council offices or Community Hub during the voting period.
Anyone of Māori descent can choose between the Māori roll and General roll, but cannot be on both. You can now choose between the Māori roll and the General roll at any time up until 3 months before a relevant election, which includes Local Council elections, National elections, and any by-elections (in your area).
Voters cannot change electoral rolls after 10 July 2025.
To enrol for the first time or to change between rolls, please visit the Electoral Commission's website here.