There are just five sleeps to make your choice on who will be the New Plymouth District Councillors next Mayor, Councillors and community board members.

Voting closes at midday, this Saturday (11 October) as of last Friday returned votes were sitting at just 21.9 per cent.

Kōhanga Moa (Inglewood area) is currently leading the pack with 23.7 per cent of votes returned, followed by North Ward (Waitara and surrounding areas) on 23.6 per cent, Kaitake-Ngāmotu (21.7) and Te Pututanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori (Māori ward) at 18.3.

“Traditionally that number tends to surge in the last few days so if people haven’t voted we’d encourage them to put it in one of the many ballot boxes we have around the district rather than the post so it can get to us in time,” says Customer and Communications Manager Ben Kohlis.

“We’ll also have the drive-thru at the Civic Centre open again this Saturday between 9am and midday.”

As well as deciding on the next elected members, voters get to decide whether to keep or remove our Māori ward in future elections in a binding-referendum.

If you are still not enrolled you must do that by this Friday, 10 October. Go to vote.nz or phone 0800 367 656. It is too late to receive voting papers so you will require a special vote.

People who haven’t received their voting papers by now or have made an error on the ones they have received, will also need a special vote and need to come in to the Civic Centre in person.

You can view candidate profiles on the Know Your Candidates section of the Vote 2025 website.

Ballot box locations and times:

• Civic Centre: 8am-5pm Monday- Friday, 9am-midday Saturday 11 October (inside and drive-thru).
• Oākura Library: 11am-5pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday. 9am-midday on Saturday
• Puke Ariki Library: 9am-6pm: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 9am-midday Saturday
• Puke Ariki Museum (i-site): 10am-5pm daily. Ballot box only until midday on Saturday.
• Waitara Library and Service Centre: 9am-5pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday until 6pm Tuesday and Thursday and until midday Saturday.
• Inglewood Library and Service Centre: 9am-5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. Until 6pm Wednesday and Friday and until midday Saturday.
• Bell Block Library and Service Centre: Monday, Wednesday and Friday until 6pm Tuesday and Thursday and until midday Saturday.
• Urenui Library: 9am-2pm Tuesday and midday to 4pm Friday.
• Todd Energy Aquatic Centre: 5.30am-7.15pm Monday- Friday. Ballot box available until midday Saturday.

Progress results will be announced on Saturday 11 October 2025, preliminary results expected on Sunday 12 October and final results are expected to be announced Friday 17 October.

For all you need to know, including daily voter return progress, go to npdc.govt.nz/vote2025 for more information.

By the numbers:

• 82 nominations received for the 2025 election, up from 77 in 2022.
• 9 candidates are running for Mayor in 2025, up from 8 in 2022.
• 45.1%: The voter turnout in 2022.

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