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Mark your calendars! Voting in the upcoming local elections opens on 9 September and closes at midday on Saturday, 11 October 2025. It will be conducted by postal voting using the First Past the Post electoral system, meaning that the candidate(s) with the most votes will win.
What will you be voting for in Lower Hutt’s local government elections?*
| All voters |
|
|---|---|
| General roll voters only | Depending on where you live:
|
Māori roll voters only | 1 Councillor to represent the Mana Kairangi ki Tai Māori Ward (covering the whole city) |
| Eastern Bays and Eastbourne voters only | 5 members to represent the Eastbourne Community Board |
| Wainuiomata voters only | 6 members to represent the Wainuiomata Community Board |
*This applies to voters living in Lower Hutt. If you're voting as a non-resident ratepayer, you'll receive information about your vote.
Download a map of the ward boundaries or View the ward boundaries online
As required by Government, there will be a referendum for all voters on whether to keep the Mana Kairangi ki Tai Māori Ward in the 2028 election. You can find out more here. Hutt City Council resolved to establish a Māori ward, effective from the 2025 election, at a meeting on 6 September 2024.
Ngā rā mātua | Key dates
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| Monday, 30 June 2025 | Information evening for prospective candidates |
| Friday, 4 July 2025 | Candidate nominations open, and the electoral roll opens for public inspection. |
| Friday, 1 August 2025 | Candidate nominations close at noon, and the electoral roll closes. |
| By Friday, 8 August 2025 | Public notice of election day and candidates. |
| Monday, 1 September 2025 | Mayoral debate |
| Tuesday, 9 September 2025 | Voting documents are posted out and voting opens. |
| Saturday, 11 October 2025 | Election day, voting closes at noon. |
| Saturday, 11 October 2025 | Preliminary results available. |
| By Sunday, 19 October 2025 | Declaration of final results. |
Candidate briefing session
Hutt City Council’s electoral officer, Bruce Hodgins, will host a candidate briefing at the Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt on Monday, 30 June at 5.30pm.
Nominations open on 4 July and close at midday on 1 August 2025.
Find out about standing in the local government elections.
Me pēhea taku rēhita hei pōti | How do I enrol to vote?
You can enrol as a resident if you:
- are 18 years or older,
- are a New Zealand Citizen or permanent resident,
- have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more, at some point in your life.
If you’re enrolled to vote in the parliamentary elections, you’re also automatically enrolled for Council elections.
The Māori Electoral Option allows Māori to choose between the Māori or general electoral roll. Visit Māori Electoral Option | Vote NZ
Visit vote.nz, email enrol@vote.nz, call 0800 36 76 56 or free text your name and address to 3676 to enrol to vote or to update your enrolment details.
How to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer
If you own property in the Hutt but live elsewhere, you may be able to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer elector and vote in both areas. You can check your eligibility and enrol by visiting the ElectioNZ ratepayer enrolment portal or enrol using the form below:
Download a non-resident ratepayer enrolment form
Additional election-related documents and links will be accessible from this page throughout 2025.