The 2025 Rotorua Lakes Council election was a local election held from 9 September to 11 October in the Rotorua Lakes 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 Rotorua and 10 district councillors for the 2025–2028 term of the Rotorua Lakes Council. Postal voting and the first-past-the-post voting system were used.
Incumbent mayor Tania Tapsell was re-elected to a second term in a landslide.
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 published 16–19 October 2025: Final results declared.
Background
Positions up for election Voters in the district elected the mayor of Rotorua, 10 councillors from across 3 wards and members of the Rotorua Lakes and Rotorua Rural community boards. They also elected members of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and members of the Waikato Regional Council
Campaign
List of candidates Incumbents not seeking re-election Lani Kereopa, councillor for Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward since 2022, and niece of councillor Trevor Maxwell
Mayor CandidatePhotoAffiliation NotesHaehaetu BarrettNoneFormer chief executive of Lifewise, a social services organisationTakeina "Shakaina" FraserNoneAlso ran to be a councillor for the Te Ipu Wai Auraki general wardRobert LeeIndependentIncumbent councillor for the general ward. Also ran for re-election as a councillor.Don PatersonSaving RotoruaIncumbent councillor. Also ran for re-election as a councillor in the Te Ipu Wai Auraki general ward.Tania TapsellNoneIncumbent mayor since 2022
Councillors Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward returned three councillors to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesTrevor Horowaewae MaxwellNoneIncumbent councillor. Having been an elected councillor since 1977, he is New Zealand's longest-serving councillor.Merepeka Raukawa-TaitNoneFormer councillorHarina Rinaha RupaperaNoneScholarTe Whatanui SkipwithNoneFormer actor and advocate for the protection of Lake RotokākahiTe Rika Temara-BenfellTe Pāti MāoriCommunity leaderRawiri WaruNoneIncumbent councillor
Te Ipu Wai Auraki general ward Te Ipu Wai Auraki general ward returned six councillors to the district council.
CandidatePhotoAffiliation NotesJared AdamsIndependentFormer holiday park ownerPhilly AngusNoneGregg BrownNoneIncumbent councillor. Brown had initially indicated that he would step down, but later changed his mind.Jenny ChapmanNoneTeacher and community advocateRichard CollinsThink PositiveBrendan DavisYour Voice on CouncilPreviously ran for council in 2022Mathew DoidgeNoneAcademicTakeina "Shakaina" FraserNoneAlso ran for mayorFrank "The Tank" GraplRevive and thrive Rotorua – TogetherRyan GrayMoving Rotorua ForwardPreviously ran for council in 2022Sandra Kai FongNoneIncumbent deputy mayorRobert LeeIndependentIncumbent councillor. Also ran for mayor.Reynold John MacphersonResidents and RatepayersFormer councillor (2019–2022) and mayoral candidate in 2022Jason MonahanNoneChefMariana MorrisonNoneFormer naval officer, The Bachelor New Zealand contestant and granddaughter of Howard Morrison.Pam NeilsonNoneConan O'BrienRestore, Rebuild, and ReformIncumbent councillorDon PatersonSaving RotoruaIncumbent councillor. Also ran for mayor.Neville RaethelKeep New Zealand Beautiful Local environment and anti-litter activistBen SandfordNoneTwo-time winter Olympian. Stood for mayor of Rotorua in 2022Rahul SethiNoneEntrepreneurFisher WangIndependentIncumbent councillor
Rotorua Rural ward The Rotorua Rural ward returned one councillor to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesKaren BarkerNoneIncumbent councillor
As the only candidate, Barker was elected unopposed.
Results
Overall turnout was 43.27%, with 21,796 voting papers returned, down from 47.9% in the 2022 election and short of the council's goal of at least 50% turnout. Rotorua ranked 51st for turnout out of the 66 district and city councils taking part in these elections.
With final results, the following candidates were declared elected:
Mayor Incumbent mayor Tania Tapsell was re-elected to a second term in a landslide.
Council Rural Ward
Te Ipu Wai Auraki General Ward
Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori Ward
Māori Ward Poll
Notes
References