Waikato District Council is leaving residents with one last message as the deadline to enrol to vote in 2025 local government elections fast approaches – if you want to shape the future of the Waikato district, now is the time to act.
With the clock ticking down to the voting period, Tony Whittaker, acting Chief Executive Officer at Waikato District Council says that voting is one of the most powerful ways to make a difference, but to vote you must be enrolled.
“When you enrol to vote, you’re making sure diverse voices from all our communities are heard, reflected and represented in our decision-making processes."
“Enrolling to vote gives you the opportunity to have your say on who represents your local community, what issues are brought to Council’s attention and what changes you’d like to see us make,” Tony says.
Enrolling to vote in the 2025 local government elections doesn’t only mean you’ll get the chance to have your say on who you want to be mayor, who the 13 councillors are, who has a seat on each community board, and who is part of the Te Kauwhata Licensing Trust, but you’ll also be asked whether you want to keep or remove Maaori wards in the Waikato district.
With plenty of decisions to be made, residents are encouraged to enrol before Friday 1 August.
“While enrolling early is ideal, if you miss the enrolment deadline you will still be able to vote via the special voting process,” Tony says.
Residents will need to cast a special vote if they haven’t enrolled before August 1, have recently turned 18 or have moved to the district after 1 August 2025.
To complete a special vote, enrol on the Parliamentary electoral roll by 7 October 2025 via vote.nz and request a special vote from Council or Election Services. Special voting packs can be submitted via our Ngaaruawaahia, Huntly, Raglan, Tamahere, Te Kauwhata and Tuakau offices.
“Let’s come together to make a positive impact on our district. Enrol today to be part of the change,” Tony says.
Visit our website to get started.
