Which Roll?
Māori roll or General roll?
- If you are of Māori descent, you have the option to enrol on either the General or Māori electoral rolls. If you are not of Māori descent, you can enrol only on the General electoral roll.
At election time, the roll you are on determines which candidates you can vote for.
- Māori Electoral Roll: Electors on the Māori electoral roll vote for candidates standing in Māori Wards, as well as the Mayor and the Community Board area where they live.
- General Electoral Roll: Electors on the General electoral roll vote for candidates in General Wards, along with the Mayor and the Community Board area where they reside.
How to Change Your Electoral Roll
If you are already enrolled on either the Māori electoral roll or the general electoral roll, you might want to switch rolls before the local elections in October 2025.
The Māori Electoral Option allows all enrolled voters of Māori descent to choose between the general roll and the Māori roll.
If you’re of Māori descent, you can change your roll type at any time, except:
- in the 3 months before a general election
- in the 3 months before local elections which are held every 3 years
- before a parliamentary by-election if the change would move you into the electorate where the by-election is being held.
Resident Ratepayer Electoral Roll
If you are a resident of the District and already on the parliamentary electoral roll for the general election, you are automatically enrolled to vote in the 2025 local body elections.
If you're unsure whether you're enrolled or if your details have changed, you can check or update your details online, or call 0800 36 76 56.
Am I a Residential Elector or Ratepayer Elector?
- Residential Electors: Vote based on where they live.
- Ratepayer Electors: Vote based on where they own property.
Own Property in Ruapehu but Don't Live There?
You can vote in Ruapehu District Council elections if you pay rates on a property there, even if you live elsewhere. This includes commercial properties, holiday homes, and rentals.
Examples:
Individual: Lives in Auckland, owns property in Ruapehu.
- Votes in Auckland as a resident elector.
- Votes in Ruapehu as a ratepayer elector.
Company: Based in Auckland, owns properties in Ruapehu.
- Nominee votes in Auckland as a resident elector.
- Votes in Ruapehu for one property in one Community Board area.
- Votes once for each other Community Board for other properties owned.
Nominating a Ratepayer Elector
Organisations that pay rates on properties can nominate a member to vote. The nominee must agree and not be a ratepayer elector for another property. Both must be registered as Parliamentary electors outside the council district.
This is an ‘opt-in’ process. You can download the enrolment form here or you can use the Electionz.com portal to check your ratepayer elector entitlement.
When completing Section B on the Form, please note the form must be signed by both the nominator and the nominee. The nominator and nominee can be the same person.
If Multiple People Pay Rates on the Same Property
One person from the group can be nominated to vote. Both the nominator and nominee must be registered as Parliamentary electors outside the council district.
Existing Ratepayer Electors
New Electoral Rolls are compiled every three years. You should have received an enrolment confirmation if:
- You were enrolled for the 2022 local elections, or since then.
- You enrolled or were nominated as a ratepayer elector.
