Local Authority Elections are held every three years to give the public the opportunity to vote for who they want to be their Mayor, and the Councillors they think will best represent and help better their community.
The Local Authority Elections will be held on Saturday 9 October 2010. Nominations open on 23 July 2010, nominations close 12 noon on 20 August 2010 with a deposit of $200.
Click the links below for more information about Waikato District Council elections.
Local Authority Elections
Local Authority Elections let the public say who they want to represent their district and community. The Waikato district is divided into 11 wards, and voters vote for a Mayor and 13 Councillors. To vote you must be 18 years or over, and currently enrolled to vote. You can enrol in an electorate if you live in that area, however there are some exceptions for non-resident ratepayers.
Local Authority Elections are held every three years on the second Saturday in October. Elections involve all residents over 18 years within the Waikato district who are enrolled on the electoral roll. Voting is conducted by a postal vote.
Enrol to Vote
It’s easy to enrol to vote if:
- You are 18 years or older
- You are a New Zealand Citizen or permanent resident
- You have lived in New Zealand for more than one year continuously at some time in your life
To obtain an enrolment form:
- Call 0800 36 76 56
- Freetext your name and address to 3676
- Visit any Post Shop
- Visit the elections website www.elections.org.nz and enrol or update your details online
Máori Electorate Option
If you are of Máori descent you may be enrolled for a Máori electorate or for a general electorate, depending on the choice you made when you enrolled or at the last Máori Electoral Option. You cannot change your choice until the next Máori Electoral Option due in 2012.
Residential Electoral Roll
All parliamentary electors are automatically enrolled on the local authority residential electoral roll at the address where they live. If you wish to change your details on the resident roll (address details, postal details etc):
- Call 0800 36 76 56
- Freetext your name and address to 3676
- Visit any Post Shop
- Visit the elections website www.elections.org.nz and enrol or update your details online
Non-Resident Ratepayer Roll
If a person is on the parliamentary roll in one area and pays rates on a property in another area, they may be eligible to be enrolled on the non-resident ratepayer roll.
A firm, company, corporation or society paying rates on a property may nominate one of its members or officers as a ratepayer elector (providing the nominated person resides outside of the area). Ratepayer roll enrolment forms are available by phoning the Deputy Electoral Officer on 07 824 8633.
General Information
The Waikato district is divided into 11 wards and elections are held for one Mayor and 13 Councillors. The Mayor is elected at large. There are four Community Boards with six elected members each.
Information about candidates, press releases and results on any upcoming local authority election or by-election will be updated on this web site.
Electoral System
Voting for the Waikato District Council uses the First Past the Post electoral system, however if a number of people request to use another electoral system this can be polled to find what system people would like. A Form of Demand must be completed if a change to the electoral system is requested.
Right To Demand A Poll On The Electoral System
At a meeting on 26 August 2008, the Waikato District Council resolved that public notice be given of the right to demand a poll on the electoral system used for the elections of the Waikato District Council and its Community Boards. The Council used the First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system at the last triennial general election and intends to use the FPP system at the 2010 election.
Pursuant to section 29 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 a specified number of electors of the Council may, at any time, demand that a poll be held on a proposal that either the FPP or Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral system be used at the elections of the Council and its Community Boards. The specified number of electors required to demand a poll is not less than 1464 electors of the Council (5%).
Form of Demand
Any demand for a poll as noted above must be made in writing and signed by the specified number of electors. Each signature must be accompanied by the elector’s full name and the address for which the person is qualified as an elector of the Council. Such demand must be delivered to the district office of the Council at 15 Galileo Street, Ngaruawahia, before 4.00pm on 28 February 2009.
Although the Act states Saturday 28 February 2009, under section 35(6) of the Interpretation Act 1999, the final day must be the next working day, so the poll demand must be received before 4.00pm on Monday 2 March 2009 for the outcome to apply in 2010.
Ward Boundaries
The Waikato district is divided into 11 wards, which are represented by a Mayor and 13 Councillors. What ward you live in determines which ward you vote in. The Council determines ward boundaries depending on area and population to meet population requirements of the Local Electoral Act.