Elections are held every three years to elect mayors, councillors, community board members, and other positions of other local bodies.
The next local elections will be held this year, on 11 October 2025.
The elections are an opportunity for you to help shape what the Timaru District will look like into the future, both by voting and considering standing for election.
Have questions or need help? Please contact elections@timdc.govt.nz or call 03 687 7200.
This webpage contains general information about the election. For more specific information, go to:
Enrol
Stand
Vote
If you are looking for information about past local elections, refer to the link at the bottom of this webpage.
Local Elections in the Timaru District
| Local Authority | No. of Candidates elected |
|---|---|
| Timaru District Council | |
| Mayor | 1 Mayor |
| Council (9 Councillors): | |
| 1 Councillor |
| 2 Councillors |
| 6 Councillors |
| Geraldine Community Board | 6 Members |
| Pleasant Point Community Board | 5 Members |
| Temuka Community Board | 5 Members |
| Environment Canterbury (South Canterbury/Ĺtuhituhi Constituency) | 2 Members |
| Geraldine Licensing Trust | 6 Members |
All elections are held by postal vote and conducted under the First Past the Post (FPP) system.
Which ward am I in?
The elections you can participate in depends on the address that you are enrolled at (with the Electoral Commission).
Use this map to find your ward and the elections that you can vote in.
If you think you are enrolled at the wrong address, go to the Vote NZ website to update it. If you own property in the district but live elsewhere, find out more about enrolling on the Ratepayers Roll here.
Key Dates
Key dates for the 2025 local elections are:
| By 4 July 2025 | Public Notice of election, calling for nominations, roll open for inspection |
| 4 July 2025 | Nominations open. Electoral Roll opens for inspection |
| 1 August 2025 | Nominations close at 12 NOON. Electoral Roll closes |
| 6 August 2025 (as soon as practicable) | Public Notice of candidate names and special voting places |
| 9 - 22 September 2025 | Delivery of voting documents (may occur at any point during this period) |
| 9 September – 11 October 2025 | Voting and Special voting period. Early processing period |
| 11 October 2025 | Election Day (voting closes at 12 NOON). Progress/Preliminary results announced as soon as practicable |
| 11 - 16 October 2025 | Official Count |
| 16 - 19 October 2025 (as soon as practicable) | Declaration of Final Result, and Public Notice of results |
Nominated candidates
Click here to see all nominated candidates for Council (all elections) and the Geraldine Licensing Trust.
Click here to see all nominated candidates for Environment Canterbury.
Public Notices
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Enrol
You need to be enrolled on either the residential or ratepayer electoral roll to vote. Read about enrolment here.
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Stand
Find out how to nominate, candidate qualifications, candidate restrictions and campaigning information.
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Vote
Every vote counts. Find out more about postal voting and specials votes in the local election here.
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Previous Elections
Results and Information from previous Timaru council elections and by-elections.