Local body elections candidate nominations open this week

If you want to make your mark on your community, consider standing for the South Taranaki District Council or Community Boards in this year’s local body elections.

South Taranaki District Council chief executive, Fiona Aitken says despite the challenges it’s an exciting time to be involved in local government.

“Our key focus areas are to promote sustainable growth, look after the services and assets we’ve got, and bring more vibrancy to our towns,” says Aitken. “This is an exciting, though uncertain, time to stand for election. It’s a unique opportunity to be part of the changing landscape of local government and to help shape the future of our District,” she says.

Candidate nominations open on Friday 4 July and close at 12noon on Friday 1 August.

In South Taranaki we are seeking candidates to run for the positions of Mayor, 13 councillors elected from the Māori Wards Te Kūrae (1) and Te Tai Tonga (1) and from the General Wards - Te Hāwera (5), Taranaki Coastal (2), Pātea (2) and Eltham-Kaponga (2), along with four positions on each of our Community Boards – Te Hāwera, Taranaki Coastal, Eltham-Kaponga and Pātea.

If you are interested in standing for your Council or local Community Board and want to find out a bit more, there are several things you can do:

• Come along to the Candidates Information Session on Saturday 5 July, 9am, Council Chamber, Administration Building, Albion Street, Hāwera.
• Pick up a Candidate Nomination Pack, packed full of information for prospective elected memebers, from the Hāwera Administration Building or your local LibraryPlus.
• Have a look at our website www.southtaranaki.com/vote2025 and check out the Information for Candidates section to find out more about roles and responsibilities. Be sure to specifically check out the Candidate Information Book and the Pre Election Report.

Once you decide to stand, there are several ways you can fill out and submit a nomination form:

• The easiest and quickest way is through the new Election Service’s Portal (links to the portal will also be made available from Friday 4 July on www.southtaranaki.com/vote2025)
• You can also go to www.southtaranaki.com/vote2025 to download a nomination form, or pick up a hard copy from the Hāwera Administration Building or your local LibaryPlus.
• Hard copy nomination forms must be handed in to an Electoral Official, who are available at the above locations.

www.southtaranaki.com/vote2025 contains all the information candidates need to know as well as handy links and facts for voters including how to enrol.