The 2025 Environment Southland election was a local election held between 9 September and 11 October 2025 in the Southland Region of New Zealand, as part of that year's regional council elections and other local elections held nation-wide.
Voters elected 12 regional councillors for the 2025–2028 term of Environment Southland (the Southland Regional Council). Postal voting and first-past-the-post voting were used.
Key dates 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates opened. 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates closed at 12pm. Updates to the preliminary electoral roll closed at 5pm. 9 September 2025: Voting documents were posted and voting opened. 11 October 2025: Voting closed at 12pm and preliminary results released. 16-22 October 2025: Declaration of final results. October/November 2025: Swearing-in ceremonies for elected members.
Background Local body elections are held in New Zealand every three years. The last Southland Regional Council election was held in 2022, with 18 nominations for 12 vacancies. Elections were held in all but one ward.
By 1 August 2025, Environment Southland had received 18 nominations for 12 positions. Since the five candidates for the Fiordland, Eastern-Dome, Western and Southern regional constituencies are standing unopposed, elections will only be required for the Hokonui and Invercargill-Rakiura constituencies.
Other local body elections were also held for the Invercargill City Council, the Gore District Council, the Southland District Council, the Invercargill Licensing Trust and the Mataura Licensing Trust.
List of candidates Incumbents not seeking re-election Environment Southland chairman Cr Nicol Horrell of the Western regional constituency confirmed on 1 August 2025 that they would not be seeking re-election. Cr Neville Cooke of the Invercargill-Rakiura regional constituency. Cr Robert Guyton of the Invercargill-Rakiura regional constituency.
Councillors Fiordland constituency The Fiordland constituency returned one councillor to the regional council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesPaul EvansIndependentIncumbent councillor
As the only candidate, Evans was re-elected unopposed.
Eastern-Dome constituency The Eastern-Dome constituency returned two councillors to the regional council. CandidateAffiliation NotesAlastair GibsonNoneIncumbent councillorJeremy McPhailNoneIncumbent councillor and deputy chair
As the number of candidates did not exceed the number of positions available, Gibson and McPhail were re-elected unopposed.
Western constituency The Western constituency returned one councillor to the regional council. CandidateAffiliation NotesEwan MathiesonNoneIncumbent councillor, dairy farmer and DairyNZ local leader
As the only candidate, Mathieson was re-elected unopposed.
Hokonui constituency The Hokonui constituency returned one councillor to the regional council. CandidateAffiliation NotesPeter McDonaldNoneIncumbent councillorDavid RoseNoneFarmer and former President of the Southland chapter of Federated Farmers
Southern constituency The Southern constituency returned one councillor to the regional council. CandidateAffiliation NotesJon PembertonNoneIncumbent councillor
As the only candidate, Pemberton was re-elected unopposed.
Invercargill-Rakiura constituency The Invercargill-Rakiura constituency returned six councillors to the regional council. CandidateAffiliation NotesJoshua CumberlandNoneRiver engineerRoger HodsonIndependentEnvironmental scientist and member of the Southland Conservation Board (2024–2027 term)Lyndal LudlowIndependentHigh School Relief Teacher, Incumbent councillorPhil MorrisonIndependentIncumbent councillor and Southland Regional Climate Change Working Group co-chairmanNick Perham NoneWorkSafe New Zealand safety assessor, former Southland District Councillor and unsuccessful National Party candidate for the Southland electorateMaurice RodwayNoneIncumbent councillorEric RoyNoneIncumbent councillor and former National Party Member of Parliament for Awarua and Invercargill.Nathan SurendranHonesty, Responsibility, ResilienceEntrepreneur, tertiary tutor and 2019 Southland Regional Council election candidateRoy Te MaiharoaNoneTutor and instructor at the Southern Institute of Technology. He also contested the 2023 Invercargill City Council by-election.Annette TrentIndependentAgriculturalist and chair of the Southern Farmers MarketGeoffrey YoungNoneUnsuccessful 2022 Southland District mayoral candidate, famer and southern South Island director for the farming lobby group Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
Results Twelve councillors were elected to Environment Southland across six constituencies.
Fiordland constituency
Eastern-Dome constituency
Western constituency
Hokonui constituency
Southern constituency
Invercargill constituency
See also 2025 Invercargill City Council election
Notes
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