Candidate handbook

Detailed information about standing for election is available in the candidate handbook.

Deciding to play a significant role in your local community by running for local government is a big decision. The videos that follow will give you an insight in to what you can expect in each of the various roles you might choose to put yourself forward for the next Election. You’ll be hearing from real people - with real experience. 

At the beginning of each video, we let you know what you can expect to learn about by the end of the video. Please feel free to watch the videos all at once or one at a time.

We hope these videos help you decide if being an elected member is for you, and if so, what role would suit you best.  If you decide to run in the upcoming elections, we wish you the very best of luck.

LGNZ also have a helpful resource available for those thinking about standing, you can find this here. 

Pre-Election Report

Read our Chief Executive, Tanya Winter's, Pre-Election Report to find out her view on the challenges and opportunities in our rohe (district) and for the Council, and the leadership she thinks we need to tackle the challenges and make the most of the opportunities.

The Pre-Election Report 2025 is available here. 

Helpful Videos

Standing for local government

To introduce you to the elected member roles available to you, including a description of what elected members do.

What do you need to be an elected member?

To help you think about what skills you will need to have and behaviours you will need to display as an elected member and what sort of support will be available to help.

How councils work

To help you find out about how councils work and are funded.

Nomination requirements

To help you understand the next steps to take, if you have decided to stand for local government.

Your first days as an elected member

To give you an idea of what to expect if you are successfully elected.