Voting FAQs

Election Day is Saturday, 11 October 2025, and voting closes at 12 noon on that day. The voting period starts on Friday, 9 September 2025.

The Electoral Officer has full and sole responsibility for the conduct of the election.

Other bodies such as the Electoral Commission, Local Government New Zealand, the Ombudsman, the Department of Internal Affairs, the Local Government Commission, and the Minister of Local Government have no formal responsibility for the conduct of local elections.

Each local authority must appoint an Electoral Officer and a Deputy Electoral Officer. Electoral officers are responsible for all matters relating to a particular election or poll.

Electoral officers carry out their designated duties under the Local Electoral Act 2001 and any other enactment where they have legislative responsibilities. One of the key requirements of their role is that they manage elections independently of the elected body. Another key requirement is that they maintain the security of electoral records and the secrecy of the vote.

We use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral system to elect our representatives in Ruapehu District.

For the 2025 Local General Elections, Ruapehu District Council decided at their 26 March 2025 meeting that candidates' names will appear in alphabetical order on voting papers.

How STV Works

With STV, you rank candidates in order of your preference instead of just ticking boxes:

• Write "1" next to your first choice
• "2" next to your second choice
• Continue numbering as many or as few candidates as you wish

You don't need to rank every candidate - it's completely up to you how many you rank.

How Votes Are Counted Under STV

To win a seat, a candidate must reach a "quota" of votes, which is calculated based on the number of vacancies and total valid votes cast.

The counting process works like this:

1. First, everyone's #1 choices are counted
2. Any candidate who reaches the quota is immediately elected
3. If an elected candidate receives more votes than needed to reach the quota, their surplus votes are partially transferred to the voters' second preferences
4. If not enough candidates reach the quota after this process, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those votes are transferred to the voters' next choices
5. This process continues until all positions are filled

For more detailed information about STV, visit the STV website.

Here's a simple explanation of these important election terms:

Standing 'At Large'

When you stand 'at large', you're running to represent the entire council area rather than a specific part of it. This means voters from across the whole district can vote for you.

Standing for a 'Ward'

Wards are specific parts of the council area, divided based on population and communities with shared interests. These can be either:

• General wards (for voters on the general electoral roll)
• Māori wards (for voters on the Māori electoral roll)

In regional councils, these divisions are called 'constituencies' instead of wards.

Ruapehu's Ward Structure

For the 2022 and 2025 Local Government Elections, Ruapehu District will have two wards:

• Ruapehu General Ward: With six councillors representing voters on the general electoral roll
• Ruapehu Māori Ward: With three councillors representing voters on the Māori electoral roll

In total, residents and ratepayers will be represented by nine councillors plus a Mayor. However, only those enrolled on the Māori electoral roll could vote for candidates standing in the Ruapehu Māori Ward.

Ruapehu District Council established Māori wards for the 2022 Local Government Elections. Here's the key difference:

Who Can Vote in Each Ward

• Māori wards: Only voters registered on the Māori electoral roll can vote for candidates standing in these wards
• General wards: Only voters registered on the general electoral roll can vote for candidates standing in these wards

Ruapehu's Representation Structure

For the 2022 Local Government Elections, Ruapehu District had a total of 9 councillors plus a Mayor representing the entire District:

• Six General ward councillors (elected by voters on the general roll)
• Three Māori ward councillors (elected by voters on the Māori roll)

This structure ensures representation for both Māori and general communities while maintaining proportional representation across the district.

Yes! You can vote on 11 October 2025 if you turn 18 that day, but you need to:

1. Enrol in advance - You can enrol provisionally from age 17, and your enrolment automatically activates when you turn 18
2. Apply for a special vote - Since you won't be on the electoral roll when voting papers are sent out, you'll need to cast a special vote

Visit vote.nz to enrol provisionally, then contact our council office for special voting arrangements as Election Day approaches.

While the electoral rolls close on 1 August 2025, you can still vote in the 2025 local elections through a special vote.

To cast a special vote:

• Request a special voting pack from our council offices
• We can provide it in person or post it to you
• Complete both your voting papers AND the statutory declaration form
• Return everything in the envelope provided directly to the Electoral Officer

This process is legally required and helps prevent duplicate voting.

Important dates:

• Special voting arrangements will be advertised before 9 September 2025
• You must enrol by Friday 10 October 2025 to be eligible to vote

Please note: Candidates and their assistants cannot collect special votes on behalf of electors.

Yes, you can vote in the Ruapehu District elections as a ratepayer elector even if you live elsewhere.

To qualify:

• You must be paying rates on a property in the Ruapehu District
• You must be eligible to enrol (a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident who is 18 or older)
• You need to complete a Ratepayer Elector Enrolment form

The ratepayer roll allows non-resident property owners to have a voice in local decisions that affect their property or business.

It's now easier to enrol with the online portal click here to fill out the online form For more information about the portal click here. A copy of the Ratepayer Enrolment form can be download here.

Ratepayer electoral roll

Yes, your roll choice determines which candidates you can vote for.

If you're on the Māori roll:

• You'll vote for candidates standing in the Māori ward or constituency

If you're on the general roll:

• You'll vote for candidates standing in the general ward or constituency

Choosing between the Māori roll and general roll is a personal decision. Consider which option you feel would best represent your views and interests in local government.

This roll choice only affects which ward candidates you vote for. All electors vote for the Mayor and any "at large" councillor positions regardless of which roll they're on.

Yes, all Ruapehu District Council elections are conducted by postal vote.

Your voting papers will be delivered by NZ Post between Tuesday, 9 September and Monda,y 22 September 2025.

Once you receive your voting documents, you can:

• Complete them at your convenience
• Return them by post (allow enough time for delivery)
• Drop them in one of our official ballot boxes throughout the district

If you haven't received your voting papers by 23 September 2025, please contact our council office about arranging a special vote.

Don't worry! You have two options:

• Option 1: If it's a small mistake, you can fix it yourself. Simply make your correction, then write your initials next to the change to show it was you who made it.
• Option 2: If you've made a bigger mistake or the paper is badly damaged, we can give you a new one! Just pop into any council office for a special voting document. You'll need to fill in a quick declaration form, and then you're good to go.

Remember, we want your vote to count – so don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it!

If you now have both your original voting documents and a special voting paper, please use your original documents.

Why? Using your original voting papers is much simpler for our team to process. Once you've voted with your original documents, please destroy the special voting papers to avoid confusion.

If you've already completed and returned your special vote before receiving your original documents, don't worry – we'll make sure your vote counts!

If your partner hasn't received their voting papers yet, please wait until 23 September 2025. The NZ Post delivery schedule means some households might receive their papers on different days.

If your partner still hasn't received anything by 23 September, they'll need to cast a special vote instead. They can do this by:

• Visiting any council office
• Joining our elections team at one of our community visits (check our website for locations and dates)
• Contacting our elections team directly

Don't worry - a special vote counts exactly the same as a regular voting paper!

If you and your husband have different voting papers, the most likely reason is that you're enrolled on different electoral rolls:

• One of you may be on the Māori roll while the other is on the General roll
• This affects which candidates appear on your voting papers for certain positions

Being on different rolls means you'll be voting for different ward councillors in some cases. This system ensures fair representation for both Māori and general constituencies.

If you're not sure which roll you're on, you can check on your voting papers - it should be clearly marked. This difference is completely normal and ensures everyone gets proper representation!

No. Power of Attorney does not give you the authority to vote for someone else. Voting rights are personal and cannot be transferred, even with legal documents like Power of Attorney.

What to do instead:

• If the person is overseas: You can forward their voting documents by international mail if there's enough time before the election deadline. If this isn't practical, please destroy the documents.
• If the documents are for an elderly parent who cannot vote: You should respectfully destroy the documents by cutting or tearing them up.

Voting is a personal right that can only be exercised by the individual voter themselves, regardless of their circumstances or your legal relationship to them.

If you've received voting papers addressed to people you don't know:

1. Write "GNA" (Gone No Address) clearly on the front of the envelope
2. Pop them back in any mailbox

This helps our electoral team update their records and ensures those votes aren't incorrectly counted. It's a simple step that helps maintain the integrity of our election process.

There's no need to open the envelope or fill out any forms - just mark it and return it to the postal system.

According to the Local Electoral Act 2001, you cannot interfere with or influence how someone votes. This protects everyone's right to vote freely.

However, you CAN help someone if:

• They have a physical impairment
• They have a visual impairment
• English is their second language

If you're helping someone vote, you must:

1. Only mark the paper exactly as they direct you
2. Complete an authorisation form (called LER 34)
3. Not influence their choices in any way

The person you're helping must give you clear permission to assist them. Your role is simply to be their hands, not their decision-maker.

The barcode you can see through the return envelope or on your voting document serves an important purpose in our election process.

This barcode is legally required and helps us:

• Mark the electoral roll to show you've voted
• Ensure we don't count multiple votes from the same person
• Maintain the integrity of the election

Don't worry - the barcode doesn't record how you voted, only that you voted. Your vote itself remains completely private and anonymous.

This simple security feature helps us run a fair election where every eligible person gets exactly one vote.

You don't have to post your voting papers, but if you choose to:

• Make sure you post them by Monday, 6 October 2025 at the latest
• This ensures they reach us before the strict deadline of 12 noon, Saturday, 11 October 2025

Other ways to return your voting papers:

• Drop them in any of our official ballot bins around the district
• Hand-deliver them to any Council office
• Give them to our elections team during their community visits

Remember - votes received after the noon deadline on 11 October cannot be counted, no matter how they're delivered. Every vote matters, so don't leave it too late!

Your vote remains confidential through several important safeguards:

• Independent oversight: Voting envelopes can only be opened when a Justice of the Peace (JP) is present. The JP must certify that all legal requirements for vote secrecy are being followed.
• Anonymous voting: Your name doesn't appear anywhere on the actual voting document - that's why the barcode is on the envelope, not on your ballot.
• Focus on validity only: When opening your envelope, election officials only check if your vote is valid - not who you voted for.

For STV voting systems: Officials check that preference numbers aren't repeated or skipped (for example, using 1, 2, 3, 3, 5 would be invalid). Preferences should be in sequence (1, 2, 3, 4, 5...) up to however many candidates you wish to rank.

This ensures your voting choices remain completely private while still allowing officials to count votes accurately.

NO.

Election staff do not know who you voted for. Your vote remains completely secret throughout the entire process.

The strict roll scrutiny and counting procedures we follow are specifically designed to protect your privacy. Election staff only verify that your vote is valid and properly recorded - they have no way to connect your identity to your voting choices.

This confidentiality is a fundamental principle of our democratic process that we take very seriously.

After the votes are counted and results announced:

1. All voting documents are securely delivered to the District Court
2. They remain there for exactly 21 days
3. This allows time for any official requests for recounts or inquiries
4. After the 21-day period, the court is responsible for destroying all voting documents

This preservation period is an important legal safeguard that ensures election results can be verified if challenged, while still protecting the privacy of your vote.

Once the waiting period is complete, all documents are destroyed in a secure manner to maintain voter confidentiality.

No, voting is not compulsory in New Zealand. You can choose not to vote, or you can vote for just some candidates or elections instead of completing the entire ballot.

However, your vote matters. The people elected will make important decisions affecting your community for the next three years - decisions about rates, roads, parks, water, and services that impact your daily life.

Not sure who to vote for? Here's how to get informed:

• Read the candidate profile booklet that came with your voting papers (it includes photos and statements from each candidate)
• Attend local candidate meetings to hear directly from those running
• Check local newspapers for election coverage and candidate interviews
• Look up candidates' websites or social media pages
• Keep an eye out for campaign materials in your letterbox

Even if you only vote for one or two positions where you feel confident in your choice, that's still more valuable than not voting at all!

Good news! You don't have to vote for everything on your ballot.

With STV (Single Transferable Vote), you can:

• Vote for as many or as few candidates as you wish
• Rank only your favourite candidates (starting with 1 for your top choice)
• Skip candidates you don't want to support at all

Important reminders for STV voting:

• Your rankings must be in order (1, 2, 3, etc.)
• Never repeat a number (don't use "3" twice, for example)
• Always start with number 1 for your top choice

You can also choose to vote in some elections and skip others entirely. For example, you might vote for Mayor but leave the Regional Council section blank. This is completely fine - the votes you do cast will still count.

Leaving some parts blank doesn't invalidate your other votes. Every vote you make still matters!

You can only vote for candidates in the specific elections that represent your local area. This is because:

• Your voting papers are customised based on where you live
• Each ward, community board and other election represents a specific geographic area
• You can only vote for the representatives who will directly serve your area

For example, if you live in Ohakune, you cannot vote for a candidate standing in Taumarunui ward, even if you know and like them. This ensures that local representatives are chosen by the people they will actually represent.

This system makes sure communities have direct control over who represents them, rather than allowing people from outside the area to influence their local leadership.

As a voter on the General roll in the Ruapehu District, you can vote for:

• Mayor - This is a district-wide position, so everyone gets to vote for Mayor regardless of which roll they're on
• General Ward Councillors - You'll vote for councillors representing the specific General ward where you live
• Community Board Members - You can vote for the Community Board that serves your local area

Your voting papers will be specifically tailored to include only the candidates relevant to your location and electoral roll status.

If you're unsure which ward you live in, this information will be clearly shown on your voting papers when they arrive.

As a voter on the Māori roll in the Ruapehu District, you can vote for:

• Mayor - Everyone votes for the Mayor regardless of which roll they're on
• Māori Ward Councillors - You'll vote for councillors representing the Māori ward
• Community Board Members - You can vote for the Community Board that serves your local area

Your voting papers are specifically designed to include the candidates relevant to your location and electoral roll status.

The Māori roll allows for dedicated representation while still ensuring you have a voice in choosing your local Community Board and the Mayor who will lead the entire district.

The results of the Ruapehu District Council elections will be announced in stages:

Progress and Preliminary Results

• Will be announced as soon as practicable after voting closes at 12 noon on Saturday 11 October 2025

Official Results

• Will be announced when the final count is complete and special votes have been checked
• This will be between Thursday 16 October and Sunday 19 October 2025

Important Note About STV Counting

Because vote counting using Single Transferable Vote (STV) involves multiple rounds of calculation, results are likely to take longer than First Past the Post election results.

How Results Will Be Presented

Results will be announced and published showing:

• Elected candidates in the order they reached the quota
• Unsuccessful candidates in the reverse order they were excluded

All elected candidates will have the same share of the vote.

Candidates

Will be advised as soon as possible after preliminary results are known. This may be by email or phone.

Voters

Preliminary results will be released to the media and placed on our website as soon as possible after noon on Saturday 11 October 2025.

Elected members take up office the day after the official result has been declared by public notice.

However, they cannot officially act until they have sworn the oath of office, which typically happens at the first meeting of council. This first meeting is usually held as soon as practicable after the final election results are known.

While you technically become an elected member immediately after results are declared, your ability to participate in decision-making begins only after taking the oath.