The 2022 New Zealand local elections (Māori: Nga Pōtitanga ā-Rohe 2022) were triennial elections that was held from 16 September until 8 October to elect local mayors and councillors, regional councillors, and members of various other local government bodies.
All 11 of New Zealand's regions and 66 of New Zealand's 67 cities and districts participated in the elections; Tauranga City Council was under crown commission and did not hold elections.
Key dates Key dates relating to the local elections were as follows: 30 June Electoral Commission enrolment campaign starts. First week of July Enrolment update packs sent by Electoral Commission to electors. 12 August Enrolment closes for the printed electoral roll.16–21 September Voting documents sent to all enrolled voters by local councils.4 October Last day to post ballot to ensure delivery.7 October Last day to enrol to vote. 8 October Polling day — The voting documents must be at the council before voting closes at midday/12:00pm.Preliminary results to be released as soon as readily available afterwards.
Background
Campaign
Low candidate numbers In early August 2022, Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and several local councils expressed concern about the low number of candidates standing for wards, council seats, and mayoral offices. For example, the Mackenzie District Council reported only three nominations for a total of 19 vacancies.
LGNZ President Stuart Crosby attributed the low number of candidates to several factors including abusive rhetoric directed against electoral officials on issues such as the Three Waters reform programme and resource management reform, and low remuneration rates which disadvantaged candidates from young and diverse communities in rural and provincial areas. Local government consultant Peter McKinlay identified central government pressure on local councils, compliance requirements, and changes to governing arrangements since the 1980s as factors discouraging people from standing for local government positions.
Entryism In mid–August 2022, Stuff and the Guardian Australia reported that the anti-vaccination group Voices for Freedom (VFF) had encouraged its members to contest the 2022 local elections with the intention of infiltrating local government bodies in order to make New Zealand "ungovernable" at the local government level. VFF candidates were instructed to conceal their affiliation with the group when running as candidates. Victoria University of Wellington political scientist Dr Mona Krewel expressed concern that VFF candidates could be elected due to the low number of candidates and possible low voter turnout.
Notable VFF-affiliated candidates have included Teviot Valley Community Board candidate Gill Booth, Southland dairy farmer Jaspreet Bopara, Dunedin coordinators Watson and Tracey Pita, Christchurch City Council candidates Sally Cogle and Mike Wilson, VFF head of national operations and New Plymouth District Council candidate Tane Webster, Nelson City Council candidate Zoe Byrne, Whangārei District Council candidate Tracy Thomasson, and Tasman District Council candidate James Wolfen Duvall.
In early September 2022, Local Government NZ launched a campaign to help voters identify conspiracy theorists and extremists running for local government positions. Anti-misinformation group FACT Aotearoa had identified 170 candidates with extremist views or who were associated with anti-vaccination or anti-government groups. Massey University's Centre for Defence and Security Studies director Dr William Hoverd attributed the surge in "extremist" candidates to the occupation of the New Zealand Parliament's grounds during the 2022 Wellington protest, which in his view "had unified and galvanised groups with little in common other than their dissatisfaction with the Government."
Results Overall summary +Council controlParty/TicketIncumbentWonRegionalLocalRegionalLocalNo majority116611 066 0
+Individuals electedParty/TicketIncumbentsCandidatesElectedLocal ticketsFar NorthSOVEREIGN.nz0001710 00 00 0AucklandCommunities & Residents0300800 02 10 0Putting People First0200200 02 00 0City Vision0200300 01 10 0Manurewa-Papakura Action Team0200200 01 10 0WestWards0000200 01 10 0Team Franklin000000 01 10 0#Burns&Young0000200 00 00 0Your Community Future0000200 00 00 0Independent Locals0000100 00 00 0Rodney First0000100 00 00 0HamiltonTeam Integrity0000400 01 10 0RotoruaRDR&R0201410 01 10 0TaupōLove Turangi0200000 00 20 0NapierWTfO/T0000200 02 20 0Palmerston NorthRangitāne o Manawatū0000200 02 20 0PoriruaHousing Action Porirua0100000 00 00 0Lower HuttUnited Hutt00001200 02 20 0WellingtonTogether for Wellington 0000200 00 00 0NelsonNelson Citizens Alliance0000810 01 10 0Work 4 U0000200 00 00 0ChristchurchPeople's Choice1303303 23 00 0Independent Citizens0300400 02 10 0DunedinTeam Dunedin0000710 03 31 1CluthaCR&RA0000200 01 10 0GoreTeam Hokonui0000310 02 21 1InvercargillLETS GO Invercargill00001010 04 41 1IRAG0100000 00 00 0National parties and ticketsGreen381101327 410 21 0Labour821242622 617 31 1Labour & Green0000010 00 00 0Te Pāti Māori0001401 14 40 0Animal Justice0000010 00 00 0Money Free Party0000010 00 00 0New Conservatives0000010 00 00 0The Opportunities Party0000300 00 00 0Outdoors & Freedom0000220 00 00 0Rock the Vote0000100 00 00 0Refreshing Local Democracy0000600 00 00 0OtherIndependents117652632571,440271118 4642 1461 2vacant010n/a1 12 20 0Notes
Regional councils
The regional level of government in New Zealand is organised into areas controlled by regional councils. +CouncilElectoral SystemSeatsCouncillorsTurnoutDetailsSourcesPreviousResult All 11 councils
Territorial authorities The city and district level of government in New Zealand is organised into areas controlled by territorial authorities. Some of these also have the powers of regional governments and are known as unitary authorities. The Chatham Islands have their own specially legislated form of government.
No elections were held for the Tauranga City Council during the 2022 local elections due to the council being under a Crown commission. Elections for Tauranga City Council were instead held in 2024. +CouncilElectoral SystemSeatsCouncillorsTurnoutDetailsSourcesPreviousResult 66 councils 706
Mayors All territorial authorities (including unitary authorities) directly elect mayors. Tauranga did not hold a mayoral election due to being under a Crown commission, instead holding an election in 2024. Territorial authorityIncumbentElectedRunner-upDetailsRefs
Local boards
Elections were also held for the 21 local boards in Auckland.
Community boards Elections were also held for 111 community boards, which have been set up by 40 of the territorial authorities under Part 4 of the Local Government Act 2002 to represent the interests of particular communities within those territories. +Community BoardElectoral SystemSeatsMembersTurnoutDetailsSourcesPreviousResult Far North District Waikato District Thames-Coromandel District Waipā District Ōtōrohanga District South Waikato District Western Bay of Plenty District Rotorua Lakes District Whakatāne District Ōpōtiki District Hastings District New Plymouth District South Taranaki District Whanganui District Ruapehu District Rangitīkei District Tararua District Horowhenua District Kāpiti Coast District Hutt City Wellington City South Wairarapa District Tasman District Buller District Hurunui District Wainakariri District Christchurch City Selwyn District Ashburton District Timaru District Mackenzie District Waitaki District Queenstown-Lakes District Central Otago District Dunedin City Clutha District Gore District Southland District Invercargill District 111 community boards 553
Licensing trusts
Elections were also held for 14 licensing trusts, which are community-owned companies with government-authorised monopolies on the development of premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages and associated accommodation in an area: Referendums
Council Referendum Option Vote Details Sources Hutt (Lower Hutt) Electoral system poll Details All 1 referendum
Aftermath
Regional chair elections The chairpersons of the country's regional councils are not directly-elected; they are instead elected from amongst the members by said members. +Regional councilIncumbent chairElected chairVoteDateSourcesForAgainstNorthlandPenny Smith (Ind.) Tui Shortland (Ind.)unopposed 25 October 2022Waikato Barry Quayle (Ind.) Pamela Storey (Ind.) 7 7?Bay of Plenty Doug Leeder (Ind.)majority19 October 2022Hawke's BayTaranakiHorizons (Manawatū-Whanganui)Greater WellingtonWest CoastCanterburyOtagoSouthland
Analysis
Low voter turnout The 2022 local elections reported a record low voter turnout across the country. By 28 September, Auckland had reported a voter turnout of 8.8%, 10.9% in Christchurch, 4.9% in Wellington, 3.9% in Taupō, and 19.8% in the Westland District. Low voter turnout was also reported in other urban centres and regions including Dunedin, Invercargill, Nelson, Rotorua, Queenstown, the Northland Region, South Canterbury, and the New Plymouth District. Auckland University of Technology political scientist Julienne Molineaux attributed the low voter turnout to public interest in the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the long weekend, a long voting period, and public disengagement with postal voting due to insufficient posting infrastructure. In response to low voter turnout, Auckland mayoral candidates Efeso Collins and Wayne Brown advocated scrapping the postal voter system in favour of online voting.
In late September 2022, Radio New Zealand and The Spinoff reported that several voters including Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta were experiencing delays in receiving their postal ballot papers. According to Radio New Zealand, most local councils hired private companies to manage their elections. One Northland electoral official advocated transferring management of local elections to the Electoral Commission, which manages the triennial general elections.
By 9 October, The New Zealand Herald reported that the national voter turnout for the 2022 local elections was a record low 36 percent. Voter turnout in local body elections had declined in New Zealand over the past 25 years since 1989, which recorded a national voter turnout of 57%. In response, Local Government New Zealand President Stuart Crosby, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and National Party leader Christopher Luxon called for an independent review and urgent reform to the voting system for local elections.
On 28 October, the Future for Local Government group advocated several recommendations aimed at improving voter turnout at future local body elections including lowering the voting age to 16 years old, four-year terms, raising salaries for elected local officials, implementing the single transferable voting system nationwide, and improving engagement with the public particularly Māori voters.
Three Waters reform programme Following the conclusion of the local elections in early October 2022, surveys conducted by the online media organisations Newsroom and The Spinoff found that a majority of elected mayors opposed the Government's Three Waters reform programme, a national water infrastructure programme that would take management of water assets and services away from local government bodies. While Newsroom survey of 220 newly-elected mayors and councillors found that 76% of respondents of 220 newly-elected mayors and councillors surveyed opposed the Three Water reforms, the Spinoff found that 43 of the 66 elected mayors surveyed opposed the reforms. Several newly-elected mayors including Mayor of Auckland Wayne Brown, Mayor of Invercargill Nobby Clark and Mayor of Nelson Nick Smith had campaigned against Three Waters during their mayoral races.
Entryism