The 2025 Nelson City Council election was a local election held from 9 September to 11 October in Nelson, New Zealand, as part of that year's territorial authority elections and other local elections held nation-wide.
Voters elected the mayor of Nelson and 12 city councillors for the 2025–2028 term of the Nelson City Council. Postal voting and the single transferable voting system were used in two four-seat wards, an at-large three-seat contest and two single-winner contests (for mayor and Maori member).
Incumbent mayor Nick Smith won re-election to a second term.
The council introduced a Māori ward at the 2022 election; in a referendum on its future held at this election (as part of a nation-wide series of referendums) voters elected to keep the Māori ward.
Key dates 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates opened 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates closed at 12 pm 9 September 2025: Voting documents were posted and voting opened 11 October 2025: Voting closed at 12 pm and progress/preliminary results were published 16–19 October 2025: Final results were declared.
Background
Positions up for election Voters in the city elected the mayor of Nelson and 12 city councillors in 4 separate contests (three in wards and one at-large).
Campaign
List of candidates Incumbents not seeking re-election Matthew Benge, incumbent councillor Rohan O'Neill-Stevens, deputy mayor since 2022 and councillor since 2019 Rachel Sanson, incumbent councillor
Mayor CandidatePhotoAffiliation NotesRichard OsmastonMoney Free Party New ZealandPreviously ran for the mayoralties of Westland, Grey, Buller, Marlborough, Nelson, and Tasman in 2022. Concurrently ran for the mayoralties of four other councils: Tasman, Buller, Grey and Westland.Nick SmithIndependentIncumbent mayor since 2022Aaron StallardIndependentIncumbent councillor since 2022. Also ran for re-election as a councillor in the at-large ward.John WakelinLower RatesPreviously ran for the mayoralty in 2019 and 2022
Councillors Whakatū Māori ward Whakatū Māori ward returned one councillor to the city council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesKahu Paki PakiNoneIncumbent councillor
Central ward The Central ward returned four councillors to the city council.
CandidatePhotoAffiliation NotesMatty AndersonIndependentIncumbent councillorLisa AustinLet's Be Ready for Tomorrow – TodayLenny BlakeNoneJackie GallandNoneJames HodgsonIndependentIncumbent councillorAnton HymanNoneMarie LindayaWeaving a Stronger Nelson for 2025Sand McDougallIndependentDavid NorthNoneSteph PhillipsIndependentPete RaineyIndependentIncumbent councillorTilman WardIndependentMike WardNonePreviously ran for council in 2022
Stoke-Tāhunanui ward The Stoke-Tāhunanui ward returned four councillors to the city council.
CandidatePhotoAffiliation NotesTrudie BrandNoneIncumbent councillorGuy CoulsonNoneScientist (air quality)Mel CourtneyIndependentIncumbent councillorSarah KerbyLabourPaul LacyNoneMike NichollsIndependentValmai PalatchieIndependentDan RobinsonIndependentCampbell RolloIndependentIncumbent councillor
At-large ward Three councillors were elected at-large to the city council.
CandidatePhotoAffiliation NotesChris BaillieIndependentFormer ACT MP (2020–2023)Anne Michele DickinsonNoneSusa GuhlIndependentJeremy MatthewsNoneKeith PalmerNoneNigel SkeggsIndependentTim SkinnerNoneIncumbent councillorAaron StallardIndependentIncumbent councillor since 2022. Also ran for mayor.Graeme K TyreeIndependent
Results
Overall turnout for the election was 48.14%, with 18,789 voting papers returned.
With the final results, the following candidates were declared elected:
Mayor Incumbent mayor Nick Smith won re-election to a second-term.
Council At-large ward
Central general ward
Stoke-Tāhunanui general ward
Whakatu Māori ward
Māori ward poll
See also 2025 Tasman District Council election
Notes
References