The 2025 Whangārei District Council election was a local election held from 9 September to 11 October in the Whangārei District of New Zealand as part of that year's territorial authority elections and other local elections held nation-wide.
Voters elected the mayor of Whangārei and 13 district councillors for the 2025–2028 term of the Whangārei District Council. Postal voting and the single transferable voting voting system were used.
Councillor Ken Couper won the mayoralty, defeating incumbent mayor Vince Cocurullo.
The council introduced a Māori ward at the 2022 election; in a referendum on its future held alongside this election (as part of a nation-wide series of referendums) voters elected to remove the Māori ward for future elections.
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 elected thirteen councillors in six wards, as well as the mayor of Whangārei. Voters in the district also elected members of the Northland Regional Council.
Māori wards referendum In November 2020, the Whangārei District Council voted 8–6 to establish a Māori ward for the 2022 and 2025 elections.
In July 2024, the National-led coalition government passed the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024 which reinstated the requirement that councils must hold a referendum before establishing Māori wards or constituencies. In August 2024, the council voted 12–1 to affirm their decision to establish the Māori constituency, thereby triggering a referendum on the constituency to be held alongside the 2025 local elections.
Campaign
List of candidates Incumbents not seeking re-election Gavin Benney, councillor for the Hikurangi-Coastal general ward Phil Halse, deputy mayor and incumbent councillor for the Bream Bay general ward Patrick Holmes, incumbent councillor for the Whangārei Heads general ward
Mayor CandidatePhotoAffiliation NotesVince CocurulloNoneIncumbent mayor since 2022Ken CouperIndependentIncumbent councillor. Previously ran for the mayoralty in 2022. Also ran for re-election as a councillor in the Bream Bay general ward.Brad FlowerIndependentPreviously ran for the mayoralty in 2022. Also ran to be a councillor in the Whangārei Urban general ward.Fiona GreenNoneMarie OlsenIndependentCouncillor for the Whangārei Urban general ward. Also ran for re-election in the Whangārei Urban general ward.
Councillors Whangārei District Māori ward The Whangārei District Māori ward returned two councillors to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesDeb HardingNoneIncumbent councillorPhoenix RukaNoneIncumbent councillorSheila TaylorNone
Bream Bay general ward Bream Bay general ward returned two councillors to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesDavid BaldwinNoneKen CouperIndependentIncumbent councillor. Also ran for mayor.Paul GraceNoneSimon SchusterNoneShilane ShirkeyNoneMatthew YovichACT LocalFitter-turner, youth coach and community advocate
Hikurangi-Coastal general ward Hikurangi-Coastal general ward returned two councillors to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesChanelle ArmstrongNoneSusy BrethertonNoneNorma de LangenNoneRen HaskellNoneVicky HumphreysNoneStephen Gregory MartinNoneScott McKenzieNoneIncumbent councillor
Mangakahia-Maungatapere general ward Mangakahia-Maungatapere general ward returned one councillor to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesSimon ReidIndependentIncumbent councillorTim RobinsonNone
Whangārei Heads general ward Whangārei Heads general ward returned one councillor to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesTangiwai BakerNoneSpencer PenneyNoneJon TwymanNoneAnthony Huon WildNone
Whangārei Urban general ward Whangārei Urban general ward returned five councillors to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesJesse CardNoneCrichton ChristieNoneNicholas ConnopNoneIncumbent councillorPhilip George CullenNoneTony DingleIndependentTiana EpatiNoneBrad FlowerIndependentAlso ran for mayorJayne GolightlyIndependentIncumbent councillorPaul GoslingNoneGabriel HenryNoneHeath KeweneNoneMarie OlsenIndependentIncumbent councillor. Also ran for mayor.Julie PepperNoneCarol PetersNoneIncumbent councillorJodie RamekaNoneAdam YoungIndependentPaul YovichIndependentIncumbent councillor
Results
2025 Whangārei mayoral election
Bream Bay general ward
Hikurangi-Coastal general ward
Mangakahia-Maungatapere general ward
Whangārei Heads general ward
Whangārei Urban general ward
Whangārei District Māori ward
Referendum on Māori wards
Notes
References