Elections for the regional councils of New Zealand were held from 9 September to 11 October 2025 as part of that year's nation-wide local elections. 132 regional councillors were elected across all 11 regions.
The vast majority of elected councillors (109) were independents. National-level political parties and aligned-tickets won 12 seats whilst local tickets won 11.
Maps
Summary Councillors and council control Party Councillors Councilcontrol 2022 Elected CandidatesNo majority110 Independent120109 −11253Rates Control Team (Waikato)07 +7800The People's Choice (Canterbury)23 +1500Vision Otago (Otago)(new)3 +3500 Green73 −4600 Labour12 +1200 Te Pāti Māori12 +1200ACT Local(new)2 +2400Reform (West Coast)(new)1 +1500 Animal Justice00 010 0The Radical Action Faction (Otago)(new)00100
Affiliation of councillors by council +CouncilElectoralsystemSeatsCouncillorsDetails 2022 Elected Northland FPP 9 Independent8 Independent8 Details Independent Green1 Te Pāti Māori1 Waikato FPP 14 Independent14 Independent7 Details Rates Control Team 7Bay of Plenty FPP 14 Independent12 Independent13 Details Independent Green1 Independent Green1Te Pāti Māori 1Taranaki FPP 11 Independent 11 Independent 11 DetailsHawke's Bay FPP 11 Independent 11 Independent 11 Details Horizons FPP 14 Independent13 Independent13 Details Independent Green 1 Te Pāti Māori 1Greater Wellington STV 14 Independent9 Independent9 Details Green3 Green2 Labour1 Labour2ACT Local 1 West Coast FPP 7 Independent7 Independent6 Details Reform 1 Canterbury FPP 14 Independent12 Independent11 Details The People's Choice and Labour 2 The People's Choice and Labour 3Otago STV 12 Independent11 Independent7 Details Green1 Vision Otago3 Green1ACT Local 1Southland FPP 12 Independent 12 Independent 12 Details All 11 councils 132
Turnout +Turnout statisticsCouncilRegistered+/−Turnout%+/− Northland133,713 +2,06658,97849.30 +6.84 Waikato336,445 +33,541122,55741.20 +2.53 Bay of Plenty232,551 +9,82680,76434.73 −1.90 Hawke's Bay119,219 −2,22153,54348.99 +9.83 Taranaki87,013 +8337,75947.63 +3.08 Horizons173,614 −64473,70746.81 +3.34 Greater Wellington396,437 −1,716161,39647.58 +4.17 West Coast23,967 −18112,54652.37 +0.19 Canterbury463,525 +17,742192,85441.61 −3.76 Otago170,966 +1,66380,53047.10 −1.72 Southland68,400 −69020,79446.11 −5.82 Total2,205,850 +59,469895,42843.93 +0.84
Northland Regional Council
The 2025 Northland Regional Council election was contested across one Māori and seven general constituencies. All general constituencies elected one member whilst the Māori constituency elected two. No by-elections had occurred since the previous triennial elections.
Marty Robinson was the only incumbent not to run for re-election. In total, five of the eight incumbents who ran were re-elected; the Māori constituency saw both incumbents defeated. In terms of partisanship, most councillors were independents whilst Te Pāti Māori gained one seat and a Green-endorsed independent lost her seat.
Final results were declared on 17 October so under the Local Electoral Act 2001 the winning candidates took office at 00:00 18 October NZDT.
Composition summary
Far North general constituency
Bay of Islands-Whangaroa general constituency
Mid North general constituency
Coastal Central general constituency
Kaipara general constituency
Whangārei Central general constituency
Coastal South general constituency
Te Raki Māori constituency
Referendum on Māori constituencies +Referendum on Māori constituencies Choice Votes % I vote to REMOVE Māori constituencies 31,539 48.02 I vote to KEEP Māori constituencies 30,878 47.01 Informal 38 0.06 Blank 3,226 4.91 Turnout 65,681 (48.59) Registered 135,165 Result: Māori constituencies to be abolished at next election.
Chair election Pita Tipene (Independent) defeated incumbent Geoff Crawford (Independent) 5-to-3; councillor Carr abstained from voting.
Waikato Regional Council
The 2025 Waikato Regional Council election was contested across two Māori and six general constituencies. The general constituencies elected one to four members each whilst the Māori constituencies elected one member each. No by-elections had occurred since the previous triennial elections.
Every incumbent ran for re-election, though Ben Dunbar-Smith ran in a different constituency. In total, nine of fourteen incumbents who ran in the same seat were re-elected; the Māori constituencies saw both incumbents re-elected. In terms of partisanship, many councillors switched affiliation to the Rates Control Team (RCT) ticket. This resulted in a 50/50 split of the council between independents and RCT members.
Final results were declared on 18 October so under the Local Electoral Act 2001 the winning candidates took office at 00:00 19 October NZDT.
Composition summary
Waikato general constituency
Hamilton general constituency
Waipā-King Country general constituency
Thames-Coromandel general constituency
Waihou general constituency
Taupō-Rotorua general constituency
Ngā Hau e Whā Māori constituency
Ngā Tai ki Uta Māori constituency
Chair election Warren Maher (Rates Control Team) was elected unopposed.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council
The 2025 Bay of Plenty Regional Council election was contested across three Māori and four general constituencies. The general constituencies elected two to five members each whilst the Māori constituencies elected one member each. No by-elections had occurred since the previous triennial elections.
Five incumbent councillors retired at this election. In total, five of nine incumbents who ran were re-elected. In terms of partisanship, most councillors were independents whilst Te Pāti Māori lost one seat and a Green-endorsed independent kept her seat.
Final results were declared on 17 October so under the Local Electoral Act 2001 the winning candidates took office at 00:00 18 October NZDT.
Composition summary
Western Bay of Plenty general constituency +Western Bay of Plenty general constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes%+/− Independent John Scrimgeour6,44146.52(new) Independent Ken Shirley6,10444.09 −2.18 Independent Neil Parker4,73534.20(new) Independent Cathi Barker3,66526.47(new) Informal360.26 +0.13 Blank1,73012.50 +4.62 Turnout13,845(38.54) (−0.21) Registered35,925 Independent gain from Independent Independent hold incumbent
Rotorua general constituency +Rotorua general constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes%+/− Independent Raj Kumar6,15238.56(new) Independent Anna Grayling4,34827.26(new) Independent Lyall Thurston3,89124.39 −11.31 Independent Tamati Coffey3,68023.07(new) Independent Nick Chater2,36914.84(new) Independent Brett Wilson2,16013.54(new) Independent Roana Bennett2,08813.09(new) Independent Rose Hiha-Agnew1,2898.08(new) Independent Stuart McManaway9656.05(new) Independent Jude Pani7594.76(new) Independent Daryn Bean6674.18(new) Informal540.34 +0.19 Blank6694.19 −1.96 Turnout15,953(46.00) (−6.78) Registered34,683 Independent gain from Independent Independent gain from Independent incumbent
Tauranga general constituency +Tauranga general constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes% Independent Stuart Crosby10,61243.26 −1.71 Independent Tim Maltby8,98336.62(new) Independent Glenn Dougal8,34834.03(new) Independent Kate Graeme8,05632.84(new) Independent Green Kat MacMillan7,85832.03 −0.23 Independent Andrew von Dadelszen7,61031.02 −2.03 Independent Ron Scott6,67727.22 −12.89 Independent Mark Wassung5,99524.44 −6.74 Independent Ash Hillis5,26121.45(new) Independent Murray Guy5,09320.76 −6.05 Independent Douglas Owens4,99520.36(new) Independent Annika Lane4,64018.91(new) Independent Daniel Harvey4,58518.69(new) Independent Vanessa Charman-Moore4,17317.01(new) Independent Derek Stembridge4,03516.45(new) Independent Shelly Archibald3,55014.47(new) Animal Justice Caitlin Grattan2,1808.89(new) Independent Clinton Naude1,0964.47(new) Informal720.29 +0.07 Blank360.15 +0.01 Turnout 24,531 (25.03) (−3.42) Registered 97,997 Independent hold Independent gain from Independent Independent gain from Independent Independent gain from Independent Independent Green hold incumbent
Eastern Bay of Plenty general constituency +Eastern Bay of Plenty general constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes%+/− Independent Malcolm Campbell7,10655.86 −8.01 Independent Sarah van der Boom6,49851.08 +14.70 Independent Adrian Gault4,75337.36(new) Independent Jessica Gray2,68521.11(new) Informal170.13 −0.02 Blank6214.88 −0.13 Turnout12,721(51.36) (−2.55) Registered24,767 Independent hold Independent gain from Independent incumbent
Kohi Māori constituency +Kōhi Māori constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes%+/− Independent Mawera Karetai1,58529.97 (new) Independent Ngapera Rangiaho1,49128.20 (new) Independent Karamea Insley1,03019.48 (new) Independent Jackie Te Amo-Te Kurapa97018.34 (new) Informal390.74 n/a Blank1733.27 n/a Turnout5,288(42.62) n/a Registered12,407 Independent gain from Te Pāti Māori
Mauao Māori constituency +Mauao Māori constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes%+/− Independent Matemoana McDonald1,37839.80 −16.91 Independent Ange Webster98428.42 (new) Independent Paora Stanly97328.11 (new) Informal20.06 −0.16 Blank1253.61 +0.78 Turnout3,462(25.42) (+5.88) Registered13,619 Independent hold incumbent
Ōkurei Māori constituency +Ōkurei Māori constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes%+/− Independent Allan Te Whau2,21444.60(new) Independent Cyrus Hingston1,63833.00(new) Independent Te Taru White1,00120.17 −25.13 Informal50.10 +0.07 Blank1062.14 −6.93 Turnout4,964(37.74) +4.61 Registered 13,153 Independent gain from Independent incumbent
Chair election Matemoana McDonald (Independent) was elected unopposed.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council
The 2025 Hawke's Bay Regional Council election was contested across two Māori and five general constituencies. The general constituencies elected one to three members each whilst the Māori constituencies elected one member each. No by-elections had occurred since the previous triennial elections.
Four incumbent councillors retired at this election. All seven incumbents who ran were re-elected. In terms of partisanship, all councillors were independents.
Final results were declared on 17 October so under the Local Electoral Act 2001 the winning candidates took office at 00:00 18 October NZDT.
Composition summary
Wairoa general constituency +Wairoa general constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes% Independent Di Roadley1,14362.49 −1.33 Independent Kiri Rangirangi-Hamlin53229.09(new) Informal20.11 +0.11 Blank1528.31−1.57 Turnout1,829(58.92) (+1.06) Registered3,104 Independent hold incumbent
Ahuriri/Napier general constituency +Ahuriri/Napier general constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes% Independent Neil Kirton10,82054.78 −14.68 Independent Louise Parsons9,28747.02 (new) Independent Hinewai Ormsby8,67643.92 −8.90 Independent Hayley Browne8,07740.89 (new) Independent Paul Bailey5,74429.08 (new) Independent Syed Iqbal4,76324.11 (new) Informal170.09 +0.06 Blank6173.12 +0.57 Turnout19,752(47.80) (+5.10) Registered41,326 Independent hold Independent gain from Independent Independent hold incumbent
Heretaunga/Hastings general constituency +Heretaunga/Hastings general constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes% Independent Jock Mackintosh9,53460.08 +0.34 Independent Sophie Siers9,50759.91 +3.88 Independent Conrad Waitoa7,45947.00 (new) Independent Bruce Mackay6,60041.59 (new) Informal30.02 −0.12 Blank1,3768.67 +4.84 Turnout15,869(45.36) (+9.15) Registered34,983 Independent hold Independent hold Independent gain from Independent incumbent
Ngāruroro general constituency +Ngāruroro general constituencyAffiliationCandidateVotes% Independent Jerf van Beek4,37059.46n/a Independent Marcus Ormond2,57935.09(new) Informal00.00n/a Blank4115.59n/a Turnout7,360(51.90)n/a Registered14,180 Independent hold incumbent
Tamatea/Central Hawke's Bay general constituency