FAQs

Election day is Saturday 8 October 2022 with voting closing at 12 noon on that day. The voting period starts on Friday 16 September 2022.

The electoral officer has full responsibility for running the election.

The electoral officer is:

Dale Ofsoske, Independent Election Services Ltd Electoral Office: Level 2, 198 Federal Street, Auckland Phone: 0800 922 822 Email: dale.ofsoske@electionservices.co.nz The deputy electoral officer is:

Gaylene Kanawa
Democracy Team Leader Waikato District Council
15 Galileo Street, Ngaruawahia
Phone: 07 824 8633 | 0800 492 452
Email: gaylene.kanawa@waidc.govt.nz

The FPP (first past the post) electoral system is used for the Waikato District Council, the Te Kauwhata Licensing Trust and the Waikato Regional Council.

For more information please refer to  What is FPP and how do I vote in an FPP election?

Electors will be able to vote for the mayor, ward councillors, community board members (where applicable), Te Kauwhata Licensing Trust members (Te Kauwhata area only) and Waikato Regional Council members. Following the decision to establish Maaori wards in 2021, Waikato District Council undertook a representation arrangements review (review of wards, boundaries, numbers of elected members etc). As a result of this, the current structure was reviewed and changed to 10 new wards electing 13 councillors and 6 community boards electing 32 members:

For further information refer to the council’s election Ward Structure page.

There are no longer elections held for district health board members.

The mayor provides leadership to other elected members of the council and the people living in the district.

This includes:

• leading the development of the council’s plans, policies and budgets
• appointing the deputy mayor
• establishing committees and appointing a chairperson to each committee
• presiding at council meetings
• attending and participating at meetings of committees and working parties
• reading agenda and other materials before meetings
• leading the council and co-ordinating council political activity
• speaking on behalf of the council
• representing the council on related organisations, where appointed
• attending and participating at conferences and seminars
• attending to complaints and enquiries from members of the public
• presiding at civic ceremonies
• hosting visiting groups, including overseas delegations
• attending and speaking at local functions, sometimes opening them
• declaring a state of civil defence emergency in the district if the need arises.

Mayor and councillors:

• participating in strategic and long-term planning for the whole district
• developing policy across a wide range of activities and services
• representing the district at functions as required
• reviewing and developing bylaws for the district
• advocating on a wide range of community issues
• coordinating and forming partnerships with other parts of government and other agencies
• participating in the appointment and performance review of the chief executive
• acting on all these matters within a legislative and regulatory framework
• setting a budget and rates
• monitoring the performance of the council as an organisation.

Community board members:

• promoting residents’ issues and initiatives to the board and the council
• monitoring the provision of council services and advocating changes as necessary
• engaging in community development activities in conjunction with council officers
• taking a proactive stance anticipating strategies and policies that may be needed
• representing the community to other agencies
• promoting the role of the community board in the wider community
• working cooperatively with the council.

You must be a New Zealand citizen and your name must be on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll (anywhere in New Zealand).

When lodging your nomination, proof of citizenship will be required (copy of passport, birth certificate or citizenship certificate).

You will need to have two electors enrolled on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll in the area you are standing for to nominate you – e.g. if you stand for the Tamahere-Woodlands General Ward, the nominators will need to be two electors enrolled on the Parliamentary General Electoral Roll for that ward. (Note the candidate does not need to reside in the area in which they are standing but will need to disclose that fact in their candidate profile statement.)

Nominations open on Friday 15 July 2022 and close at 12 noon Friday 12 August 2022. If you would like a nomination paper and candidate information handbook sent out, please contact the electoral office closer to this date. Nomination papers will also be available on the council’s website (www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz) or at designated council offices from 15 July 2022.

A candidate information booklet will be available in April 2022.

Candidate campaigning can commence any time prior to the election (no time restriction), but any expenditure made, within or outside the three-month applicable period before election day, must be accounted for.

You will need to pay a nomination deposit of $200 GST inclusive. This deposit applies to each election (position) you stand for.

Your nomination deposit can be paid by electronic bank transfer, EFTPOS, credit card or cash. Cheques will not be accepted.

If you poll greater than 25% of the lowest polling successful candidate, you will receive your nomination deposit back.

Nothing formal. Elected members come from all walks of life and generally have a will/desire to serve the community.

All (or some) of the following capabilities will be useful in the elected member role:

• quality decision-making
• political acumen
• leadership
• cultural awareness
• strategic thinking
• knowledge and understanding of Waikato District Council and local government
• communication and engagement
• relationship building and collaboration.
  

Come along to a council or community board meeting to get an idea of what happens in practice.

No, not for the Waikato District Council elections.

No, but you must be on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll (anywhere in New Zealand) and be a New Zealand citizen (by birth or citizenship ceremony). You will however need to disclose whether or not you reside in the area you are standing for in the candidate profile statement.

The two people who nominate you must be on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll within the area in which you are standing.

No. To be eligible you must be a New Zealand citizen and your name must be on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll (anywhere in New Zealand).

You will need to be nominated by two electors whose names appear on the Maaori electoral roll within the area of election for which you are standing.

Equally if you are on the Maaori electoral roll, you can stand for election in a general ward and will need to be nominated by two electors whose names appear on the general electoral roll within the area of election for which you are standing.

You can stand for mayor, a ward councillor and a community board member, but if you are elected to more than one position, you take the highest ranked position.

You can also stand for the Te Kauwhata Licensing Trust if you are a resident within the Te Kauwhata Licensing Trust area. You cannot stand for more than one ward or for both the Waikato District Council and the Waikato Regional Council.

Only if it is withdrawn before the close of nominations. You cannot withdraw voluntarily after nominations have closed. If you decide to opt out, your name will still appear on the voting document. If you do change your mind and decide not to run for election after you have been nominated, let the electoral officer know who will talk through the issues with you.

However, if you become incapacitated with serious illness or injury and unlikely to be able to perform the functions and duties if elected to office, an application to withdraw your nomination on those grounds can be made. Verification from a doctor or a lawyer about your situation will be required. See the electoral officer if you need more information about this process.

You may provide a candidate profile statement when you lodge your nomination. This is a statement of up to 150 words containing information about yourself and your policies and intentions if elected to office. The profile statement will be included in the voting packs that all electors receive.

Your candidate statement can be submitted in both Maaori and English, but the information contained in each language must be substantially consistent with the information contained in the other language. Each language has to be within a 150-word limit.

In addition, your candidate profile statement must state whether or not your principal place of residence is in the area you are seeking election, e.g., ‘My principal place of residence is in the Raglan Community Board (Rural Subdivision) area’, or ‘My principal place of residence is not in the Raglan Community Board (Rural Subdivision) area’. This is not part of the 150-word limit.

Your profile statement must be true and accurate. The electoral officer is not required to verify or investigate any information included in your statement.

Your profile can include a recent passport size colour photograph.

See section 61 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 for more information.

There is a limit on what you can spend on your campaign and it relates to the population of the area in which you are standing.

The maximum amount that can be spent by a candidate cannot exceed the limits set out as follows:

For example, a candidate in the Newcastle-Ngaruawahia General Ward (which has a population in the range of 10,000 – 19,999) will have an expenditure limit of $14,000 inclusive of GST. If you stand for more than one position, the amount you can spend is the highest amount for one position. You cannot add positions together to allow you to spend more than the limit.

Please note any expenditure made by a candidate for an election campaign is funded by the candidate and is not refundable by the council to the candidate.

All candidates are required to lodge an electoral donations and expenses return within 55 days after the day on which the successful candidates are declared to be elected (by 9 December 2022).

If a candidate is outside New Zealand on this day, the return must be filed within 76 days after election result day.

If a return is not submitted within the required time period, the non-return will be advised to the New Zealand Police for enforcement.

The return needs to be received before a candidate nomination deposit is refunded if appropriate.

Yes, you can raise funds and claim expenses from your campaign. There is very specific legislation about donations and expenses which you need to abide by.

See the electoral officer if you need more information.

No, candidates or their assistants should not collect voting documents from electors. Each elector should post or deliver their own voting document to the electoral officer.

It is an offence (carrying a fine of up to $5,000 if convicted) to interfere in any way with an elector with the intention of influencing or advising the elector as to how he or she should vote. Candidates and their assistants should be mindful of this particularly if campaigning occurs in facilities such as rest homes or hospitals.

Nominations close at 12 noon Friday 12 August 2022.

It is strongly recommended that candidates do not leave lodging their nomination until the last day, as to do so may mean having to queue and should there be an error with the nomination, little time to have it corrected.

The preliminary electoral roll will be available for public inspection for a one-month period from Friday 15 July 2022 to Friday 12 August 2022.

The preliminary electoral roll will be available for inspection at: - Ngaruawahia Head Office, 15 Galileo Street, Ngaruawahia - Huntly Office, 142 Main Street, Huntly - Raglan Office, 7 Bow Street, Raglan - Te Kauwhata Office, 1 Main Road, Te Kauwhata - Tuakau Office, 2 Dominion Road, Tuakau.

The availability of the above locations is subject to any COVID-19 restrictions in place. Should any COVID-19 restrictions be in place, refer to our Covid-19 page.

Is this your main place of residence?

Yes

Have you lived at your current address for more than one month?

Yes

Are you on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll at your current address in the Waikato District Council area?

Yes

You will automatically appear on the electoral roll that is used for these elections.

Or

Is this your main place of residence?

Yes

Are you on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll at an address in the Waikato District Council area?

No or Don’t Know

You need to check your enrolment details and/or complete an enrolment form. You can either:

• check your details online at www.vote.nz
• enrol online at www.vote.nz
• ring 0800 36 76 56
• Freetext your name and address to 3676
• download a form at www.vote.nz
• pick a form up at your local New Zealand Post agency.

Or

Is this your main place of residence?

No

Are you on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll at an address in another district?

Yes

If you own a property in this district and it is not your main residence you may be able to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer elector.

Refer to ratepayer enrolment advice We own a business in the Waikato District Council area and pay rates, but we don’t live in the Waikato District Council area – do we get a say in the Waikato District Council elections? and I own a property in the Waikato District Council area, but it is not my fulltime residence. How do I get on the ratepayer electoral roll?

You should enrol where you spend the greater part of your time.

Not necessarily. If you are enrolling for the first time you can decide whether you want to go on the Parliamentary Maaori Electoral Roll or the Parliamentary General Electoral Roll by signing the appropriate panel on the parliamentary elector enrolment form.

However, if you have already made that choice you will have to wait until the next Maaori Option period to change, which occurs following the next census, likely in 2023.

If you are enrolled on the Maaori electoral roll, you will be able to vote for the mayor, the relevant Maaori ward councillor and the respective community board/subdivision members. If you are enrolled on the general electoral roll, you will be able to vote for the mayor, the relevant general ward councillor(s) and the respective community board/subdivision members.

The Electoral Commission will be undertaking a roll update campaign at the beginning of July 2022 for the Parliamentary Electoral Roll which forms the basis of the electoral roll for the Waikato District Council elections. If you do not receive a letter in the post during early July 2022, the chances are you are not enrolled or your details are incorrect. You will then need to complete a Parliamentary Electoral Roll enrolment form.

You can check to see if you are enrolled at www.vote.nz or by phoning 0800 36 76 56.

Yes, but you need to make sure you have enrolled which you can do provisionally from the age of 17 and it automatically changes when you turn 18.

You will also need to apply for a special vote during the voting period (Friday 16 September 2022 to 12 noon Saturday 8 October 2022).

For special vote availability please refer to Where can I obtain a special vote?

Yes, subject to being eligible as a non-resident ratepayer elector and becoming enrolled.

A non-resident ratepayer enrolment form is available:

• online via our Local Elections page
• or by phoning 0800 922 822.

The non-resident ratepayer enrolment form should be returned to the electoral officer or an electoral official by 12 August 2022 and no later than 7 October 2022 in order to vote.

If it is after Friday 12 August 2022, a special voting document will also need to be requested and will be issued on 16 September 2022, the start of the voting period. 

For special vote availability please refer to Where can I obtain a special vote?

Is your name on the rates notice?

Yes

A non-resident ratepayer enrolment form is available:

• online via our Local Elections page
• or by phoning 0800 922 822.

The non-resident ratepayer enrolment form should be returned to the electoral officer or an electoral official by 12 August 2022 and no later than 7 October 2022 in order to vote.

If it is after Friday 12 August 2022, a special voting document will need to be requested and will be issued on 16 September 2022, the start of the voting period.

If it is easier you can call at a special voting venue during the voting period (Friday 16 September 2022 to 12 noon Saturday 8 October 2022) and complete the ratepayer enrolment form and have your special vote at the same time.

For special vote availability please refer to Where can I obtain a special vote?

In no case does this allow you to have two votes at an election.

Is your name on the rates notice?

No

You may not be eligible to be on the ratepayer electoral roll. Contact the electoral office on 0800 922 822.

All local authority elections will be conducted by postal vote. Voting documents will be delivered by New Zealand Post between Friday 16 September 2022 and Wednesday 21 September 2022.

There is no online voting option available.

Is it before Wednesday 21 September 2022 and I believe I am correctly registered on electoral roll?

Yes. Please wait until the mail has been delivered on Wednesday 21 September 2022. If your voting document is not received, then please call the electoral office on 0800 922 822.

Is it after Wednesday 21 September 2022 and I believe I am correctly registered on electoral roll?

Yes. You will need to apply for a special vote.

Is it after Wednesday 21 September 2022 and I believe I am not correctly registered on electoral roll?

Yes. You will need to complete a Parliamentary Electoral Roll enrolment form. These are available at any New Zealand Post agency, or you can enrol online at www.vote.nz or ring 0800 36 76 56 or send your name and address to Freetext 3676.

No – a Power of Attorney does not apply to voting for that person.

If they are overseas, you could post it to the person or destroy it if that is not practicable.

If they are for an elderly parent who is incapable of voting, please destroy it by ripping/cutting it up. You cannot vote on their behalf unless instructed by them.

Write GNA (Gone No Address) on the envelope and put it back in the mail.

Returned envelopes containing a voting document cannot be opened until there is a Justice of the Peace present. The JP is required to sign off that the processes used by the electoral officer met the legal requirements.

Note that the voter’s name is not shown on the voting document.

When the envelope is opened the only thing the electoral office is looking for is that the vote for each election is valid.

This means that we are making sure that the voter’s intention is clear and the voter has not ticked or marked more than the number of candidates than there are vacancies.

No, you don’t have to vote, but we do strongly encourage you to vote and exercise your democratic right. Voting is your opportunity to have your say on what’s important to you, your whanau and your community.

You don’t have to vote for all candidates or for all elections. But your vote is important because the people elected will be responsible for making decisions about what happens in your community for the next three years.

To help you get to know about the candidates:

• There may be candidate meetings being held in your community if you wish to go and hear what policies the different candidates are advocating for.

• There is a candidate profile booklet that comes with the voting document in which there is a photo and a statement from each candidate. This information will also be available via our Local Elections page, after nominations close (expected 19 August 2022).

Candidates may have their own website, social media page(s), advertise in local newspapers or send out information to letterboxes in your area.

• Local media are likely to cover information about the election.

You can post it but make sure you have it in the mail by Tuesday 4 October 2022 to make sure it gets back to us in time (by 12 noon Saturday 8 October 2022).

However, you can also hand deliver your voting document to a ballot box during the voting period (Friday 16 September 2022 to 12 noon Saturday 8 October 2022).

For ballot box locations please refer to Where can I obtain a special vote?

There will also be mobile ballot boxes during the voting period, so keep an eye on our Local Elections page for more information.

You can use an envelope of your own and put the return address and Freepost number on it. (You will not need to put a stamp on the envelope if you write the Freepost number on the envelope and post it in New Zealand.)

Freepost number 4710
The Electoral Office
Waikato District Council
PO Box 5135
Victoria Street West
Auckland 1142

You will need to apply for a special vote.

For special vote availability please refer to Where can I obtain a special vote?

Are you on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll for the address you want to vote for?

Yes. You will need to apply for a special vote – For special vote availability please refer to Where can I obtain a special vote?

Are you on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll for the address you want to vote for?

No/Don’t Know. If you are not enrolled or not enrolled correctly on the Parliamentary Electoral Roll, you will need to check your details online at www.vote.nz or complete an enrolment form for this.

You can pick one up at any New Zealand Post agency, or you can enrol online at www.vote.nz or ring 0800 36 76 56 or send your name and address to Freetext 3676.

This form needs to be with the Registrar of Electors before close of business Friday 7 October 2022.

You will also need to apply for a special vote. For special vote availability please refer to Where can I obtain a special vote?

If you can amend it so that your voting intention is clear, then do so.

If necessary, we can issue you with a special voting document, but this will take time and require you to complete a declaration.

Special votes can be obtained from: - Ngaruawahia Head Office, 15 Galileo Street, Ngaruawahia - Huntly Office, 142 Main Street, Huntly - Raglan Office, 7 Bow Street, Raglan - Te Kauwhata Office, 1 Main Road, Te Kauwhata - Tuakau Office, 2 Dominion Road, Tuakau - or by phoning 0800 922 822.

The availability of the above locations is subject to any COVID-19 restrictions in place. Should any COVID-19 restrictions be in place, refer to the council’s website.

All special votes need to be completed and returned to the electoral officer or an electoral official (at any of the above locations) by 12 noon Saturday 8 October 2022.

You will need to apply for a special vote.

For special vote availability please refer to Where can I obtain a special vote?

You can vote for as many candidates as you want to but not more than the number of positions available on the voting document. So, if you are electing two councillors then you can vote for up to two candidates. Remember, for FPP you tick the candidates you want to elect.

You can decide not to vote for one or more of the different elections on your voting document. This does not invalidate votes for other elections on your voting document.

You can only vote for the elections relevant to the area in which you live and the electoral roll you are on.

For example, you cannot vote for a candidate who is standing for example in another ward because you are not an elector of that other ward.

Similarly you cannot vote for a candidate who is standing in a general ward if you are on the Maaori electoral roll and voting in a Maaori ward election.

Under the Local Electoral Act 2001, you cannot interfere or influence any person as to how they can vote.

If authorised by an elector who is physically impaired, visually impaired or for whom English is a second language, a person can assist them to vote as directed by the voter.

They are delivered to the Hamilton District Court and kept for 21 days so that the court can access them should there be any application for a recount or petition for inquiry.

After 21 days, the court is responsible for destroying them.

FPP stands for first past the post voting system and is used for the Waikato District Council, the Te Kauwhata Licensing Trust and the Waikato Regional Council elections.

The candidate or candidates that gets the most votes wins.

You should mark those you want to vote for with a tick in the circle. Do not vote for more than the number of candidates shown in the instructions on your voting document.

Progress results will be announced early afternoon of election day, Saturday 8 October 2022.

Preliminary results will be announced on Sunday morning 9 October 2022 once all votes received (up until 12 noon on election day) have been delivered to the electoral office and processed.

The official results will be announced when special votes have been checked and included in the final results, expected Thursday 13 October 2022.

Will be advised by email or phone as soon as practicable after the progress and preliminary results are known.

Voters:
A Progress and preliminary results will be released to the media and placed on Local Elections page as soon as practicable once known.

Under legislation, a candidate can challenge the declaration of results through either a judicial recount or a judicial inquiry. A candidate will have to provide reasons for the challenge and a deposit of $750 with the application to the Hamilton District Court.

A candidate may wish to call the electoral office on 0800 922 822 to discuss this.

Elected members take up office the day after the official result has been declared by public notice. However, members cannot act until they have sworn the oath of office which is usually at the first meeting of the council or community board. This first meeting is usually held as soon as practicable after the final election results are known.

This also applies to elected members of the Te Kauwhata Licensing Trust.

Ultimately the elected members final responsibility is to the local community. The Minister of Local Government and the Auditor–General do have a role in ensuring that Council follows the law.

The Remuneration Authority sets the salaries for the mayor and community board members.

For councillors, the Remuneration Authority sets a remuneration pool. The newly elected council will decide how to apply the pool of funding. Some expenses are also reimbursed.

As an indication, the current remuneration is shown below.

Being an elected member is a busy job that often involves meetings, events and speaking with community members outside of normal business hours. Flexibility and the ability to prioritise and manage time effectively are essential. This includes balancing a high volume of reading, paperwork and emails with a schedule of meetings and public commitments.

Consequently, the mayor is considered a fulltime job and councillors and community board members are generally part-time jobs.

Elections are being held for:

• Mayor (elected ‘at large’)
• Councillors – 13 (elected from 10 wards)
• Community board members – 32 (elected from 6 community boards)
• Waikato Regional Council members – 2 from the Waikato General Constituency or 1 from the Ngā Hau e Wha Māori Constituency
• Te Kauwhata Licensing Trust members – 6 (Te Kauwhata area only).

Election signs are referenced in the Local Electoral Act 2001 and Council’s Public Places Bylaw – both of which must be complied with.

Local Electoral Act 2001

All election material, including signs and hoardings, must show an authorisation statement (name and physical address of the candidate or the candidate’s agent). Not to do so is an electoral offence.

Refer section 113 Local Electoral Act 2001.

Council’s Public Places Bylaw

Time

The maximum period of time during which a sign, poster or placard may be displayed is two months before election day i.e. from 12.01 am Monday 8 August 2022.

All election signs must be removed by midnight Friday 7 October 2022.

Size

The maximum permitted face surface area of any sign is 3m2 (approximately1700mm x 1700mm).

Placement

Electoral signs are not permitted on any reserve (including road reserves) or public place except those specially approved by the council.

No sign shall be placed or allowed to remain that would:

• obstruct or likely obstruct the view of any corner, bend, intersection, vehicle crossing, traffic sign or traffic signal
• distract unduly or be likely to distract unduly the attention of road users
• resemble or likely to be confused with any traffic sign or signal
• give rise to excessive levels of glare, use flashing or revolving lights or use reflective material that may interfere with road users’ vision
• constitute or likely constitute in any way a danger to road users.

In rural areas, election signs on private property should be located off the highway reserve.

You should obtain the landowner’s consent before affixing any election sign to private property.

Any election sign in contravention of the Council Bylaw may be removed by the council.

The signs don’t have the required authorisation on them.

You will need to call the electoral office on 0800 922 822.

The signs are bigger than they should be, are placed incorrectly or have been pulled over or damaged.

You will need to call the council on 0800 492 452.