Nominations are now closed and names of all the candidates standing in the local government elections have been published.

Vacancies in the Taupō District for Mayor and 12 councillors will be contested by 30 different people across the district.

Zane Cozens, John Funnell, Kevin Taylor, and David Trewavas are the four candidates vying to be the district’s next Mayor. The full list of names of candidates for vacancies in all the wards can be found at www.taupo.govt.nz/vote25.

Taupō District Council chief executive Julie Gardyne is pleased to see there are plenty of names on the ballot.

“It’s great that there has been so much interest in standing for council. With voter turnout at 46 per cent in 2022, I hope to see that interest carried over into the voting public this year with more people using their vote to have their voice heard.”

Every vote counts in this election and, with all the candidates in the running now formally announced, there will be opportunities over the next couple of months to get to know them. Local groups will host meet-the-candidate events, and council will have short videos online later in August introducing each candidate.

“It’s an exciting time to get involved in council,” says Mrs Gardyne.

“There is a lot of work to do, and the Mayor and councillors are there to represent the people of our district. I’d encourage everyone to learn about the candidates, get enrolled, and make sure they vote.”

Taupō District Council’s deputy electoral officer Shainey James advises that the deadline for enrolling to receive voting papers in the mail has passed, but people can still enrol and update their details at www.vote.nz and cast a special vote.

“We want as many people voting as possible. Currently 87 per cent of the district’s population are enrolled but I would love to see that closer to 100. And in the 18- to 24-year-old bracket only 53 per cent are currently enrolled to vote, so talk to your friends, teenagers and rangatahi, and encourage them to enrol.”

This year there is also a binding poll on the future of the Māori Ward. Taupō District Council introduced the Te Papamārearea Māori ward at the 2022 election, with two seats in the ward, to improve Māori representation on the council.

To find out more about this year’s candidates, local elections, or Māori Ward poll, go to www.taupo.govt.nz/vote25.

Voting opens Tuesday 9 September and closes 12 noon on Saturday 11 October 2025.

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