The 2025 Tasman District Council election was a local election held from 9 September to 11 October in the Tasman 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 Tasman, 14 district councillors, and eight community board members for the 2025–2028 term of the Tasman District Council. Postal voting and the first-past-the-post voting system were used.
Incumbent mayor Tim King won re-election to a third term.
A Māori ward was introduced for this election, won by Paul Morgan who was unopposed. In a referendum on its future held at this election (as part of a nation-wide series of referendums) voters elected to remove the Māori ward for future elections.
Key dates The following key dates apply for the 2025 local election: 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates opened 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates closed at 12 noon 9 September 2025: Voting documents were posted and voting opened 11 October 2025: Voting closed at 12 noon and progress/preliminary results were published 17 October 2025: Final results were declared.
Background
Positions up for election Voters in the district elected the mayor of Tasman, 14 district councillors in 5 wards, and the members of two community boards (Golden Bay and Motueka).
The district has five geographical wards, which elect thirteen councillors: four councillors for Richmond, three for Moutere–Waimea, three for Motueka, two for Golden Bay, and one for Lakes–Murchison. The mayor and the one Māori ward councillor were elected at-large.
Representation The council voted to establish a Māori ward for the 2025 local elections in 2023. The ward was named Te Tai o Aorere Māori and elected one councillor.
The government passed legislation in 2024 on Māori wards that requires councils to hold a binding referendum alongside the 2025 elections if they established Māori wards without holding a referendum; Council voted for the Māori ward to remain for the 2025 election.
The council consulted in 2024 whether the ward representation should change. The elected members decided to make one minor change, with the Totara View area located south of Wakefield shifting from the Lakes–Murchison ward to the Moutere–Waimea ward.
Campaign
List of candidates Incumbents not seeking re-election Stuart Bryant (Lakes–Murchison ward), incumbent deputy mayor and district councillor since a June 1999 by-election, retired at the 2025 election. Barry Dowler, incumbent councillor for the Motueka ward Chris Hill, incumbent councillor for the Golden Bay ward Christeen Mackenzie, incumbent councillor for the Moutere / Waimea ward Dan Shallcrass, incumbent councillor for the Moutere / Waimea ward
Mayoral candidates The first candidate for the mayoralty was Timo Neubauer, who declared his candidacy in early May 2025. CandidatePhotoAffiliationNotesMaxwell ClarkNoneBrother of Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark. Previously ran for the mayoralty in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022. Also ran for mayor in Invercargill under the name Andrew Clark.Richard JohnsNoneRetiree, and third-time mayoral candidateTim KingNoneIncumbent mayor since 2019Timo NeubauerIndependentUrban designer who lives in Hope. Also ran to be a councillor in the Richmond general ward.Richard OsmastonNonePreviously ran for the mayoralties of Westland, Grey, Buller, Marlborough, Nelson, and Tasman in 2022. Also ran to be a councillor in the Lakes-Murchison general ward, and concurrently for the mayoralties of four other councils: Nelson, Buller, Grey and Westland.
Councillors
Te Tai o Aorere Māori ward Te Tai o Aorere Māori ward returned one councillor to the district council.
Candidate PhotoAffiliation NotesPaul MorganNoneCNZM (2022; for services to Māori and business)
Richmond general ward Richmond general ward returned four councillors to the district council.
Candidate PhotoAffiliation NotesGlen DaikeeNoneIncumbent councillorJo EllisNoneIncumbent councillorMark GreeningSensible, Affordable and EthicalIncumbent councillorKit MalingIndependentIncumbent councillorTimo NeubauerIndependentAlso ran for mayorDaniel ShirleyACT Local
Motueka general ward Motueka general ward returned three councillors to the district council.
Candidate PhotoAffiliation NotesKerryn FerneyhoughNoneBrent MaruNoneIncumbent councillorDavid RossACT LocalTrindi WalkerNoneIncumbent councillor
Moutere-Waimea general ward Moutere-Waimea general ward returned three councillors to the district council.
Candidate PhotoAffiliation NotesJulian EggersIndependentMichael KininmonthNoneIncumbent councillorDean McNamaraSensible, Affordable and EthicalFormer two-term councillor who lost his seat in 2022Dave WoodsNone
Golden Bay general ward Golden Bay general ward returned two councillors to the district council.
Candidate PhotoAffiliation NotesRod BarkerNoneCelia ButlerNoneIncumbent councillorAxel Downard-WilkeIndependentTransport planner, engineer and WikipedianJulian HallNoneMark HumeNone
Lakes-Murchison general ward Lakes-Murchison general ward returned one councillor to the district council.
Candidate PhotoAffiliation NotesNicola AllanNoneJohn GullyNoneRichard OsmastonNonePerennial candidate from the Money Free movement; also standing for mayor.
Community boards Tasman District Council has two community boards: one covering Golden Bay and the other for the Motueka ward. Four community board members were elected per board.
+Golden Bay Community Board Candidate PhotoAffiliation NotesSunshine ApplebyIndependentClarissa BruningNoneHenry DixonIndependentIncumbent board memberAxel Downard-WilkeIndependentAlso ran to be a councillor for the Golden Bay general ward.Grant KnowlesNoneIncumbent board memberMark RaffillsNoneRodney WardIndependentLocal businessman
+Motueka Community Board Candidate PhotoAffiliation NotesRay HellyerNoneClaire HuttNoneIncumbent board memberJohn KateneNoneLaura LuskNoneDavid OgilvieNoneHas previously served in various roles between 1971 and 2022.
Results
With the final results, the following candidates have been declared elected:
Summary Ward Previous Elected Mayor Tim King Tim King Golden Bay Celia Butler Celia Butler Chris Hill Mark Hume Lakes / Murchison Stuart Bryant John Gully Motueka Barry Dowler Kerryn Ferneyhough Brent Maru Brent Maru Trindi Walker Trindi Walker Moutere / Waimea Mike Kininmonth Mike Kininmonth Christine Mackenzie Dean McNamara Dan Shallcrass Dave Woods Richmond Glen Daikee Timo Neubauer Jo Ellis Jo Ellis Mark Greening Mark Greening Kit Maling Kit MalingTe Tai o Aorere Māori New ward Paul Morgan – an incumbent who did not run for re-election
Mayor Incumbent mayor Tim King was elected to a third term, with Timo Neubauer coming in second place.
Council Te Tai o Aorere Māori ward
Richmond general ward
Motueka general ward
Moutere-Waimea general ward
Golden Bay general ward
Lakes-Murchison general ward
Māori ward referendum
See also 2025 Nelson City Council election
Notes
References