2025 Upper Hutt City Council election
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The 2025 Upper Hutt City Council election is an upcoming local election to be held from 9 September to 11 October in Upper Hutt, New Zealand, as part of that year's nation-wide local elections. Voters will elect the mayor of Upper Hutt, 10 city councillors, and other local representatives for the 2025–2028 term of the Upper Hutt City Council. Postal voting and the first-past-the-post voting system will be used.
Key dates
[edit]- 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates will open
- 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates will close at 12 pm
- 9 September 2025: Voting documents will be posted and voting will open
- 11 October 2025: Voting will close at 12 pm and progress/preliminary results will be published
- 16-19 October 2025: Final results will be declared.[1][2]
Background
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2025) |
Māori ward
[edit]In November 2023, the Upper Hutt City Council had voted by six to five to introduce a Māori ward for the 2025 and 2028 elections.[3] However, following a change in legislation regarding Māori wards, the council voted in August 2024 to rescind this decision. It thus avoided a requirement to hold a referendum on retaining the ward alongside this election.[4][5]
Campaign
[edit] | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2025) |
List of candidates
[edit]Incumbents not seeking re-election
[edit]- Dylan Bentley, councillor since 2019[6]
- Incumbent councillor Blair Griffiths is running for mayor and will not stand again for a position as councillor[7]
Mayor
[edit]| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blair Griffiths | Incumbent councillor[7] | |
| Wayne Guppy | Incumbent mayor since 2001[9] | |
| Hellen Swales | Incumbent deputy mayor, also running as a councillor[7][10] | |
| Peri Zee | Urban planner and transport adviser[9][11] |
Councillors
[edit]Ten councillors will be elected at-large to the city council.[12]
| Candidate | Affiliation[a] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wade Cashmore | Independent | [13] | |
| Hellen Swales | Incumbent deputy mayor, also running for mayor[7] | ||
| Dave Wheeler | Incumbent councillor[14][13] | ||
Other local elections
[edit]Voters in the city will also elect members of the Greater Wellington Regional Council (one member representing the city and one member partially from the city in the Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui Māori constituency).[15] Voters will also elect members of the Rimutaka Licensing Trust.[1]
See also
[edit]- 2025 Hutt City Council election
- 2025 Wellington City Council election
- 2025 Porirua City Council election
- 2025 Kāpiti Coast District Council election
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b A candidate may leave their affiliation blank, run as an independent, or run with an affiliation to an organisation, local body ticket or political party. Upper Hutt City Council does not allow whānau, hapū, or iwi details to be used for the affiliation.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Local Elections 2025". www.upperhutt.govt.nz. Upper Hutt City Council. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
- ^ "Elections". www.gw.govt.nz. Greater Wellington Regional Council. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
- ^ Boyack, Nicholas (7 November 2023). "Upper Hutt councillors narrowly supported Māori ward". The Post. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ^ Ellis, Moana (30 August 2024). "Controversial law spurs wave of support for Māori seats, triggers mass polls". RNZ. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ^ Maxwell, Joel (13 March 2025). "'Most will be disestablished': Pera Paniora on Māori wards and brutal referendum truth". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ^ "Election countdown: Bad week, shingles and a Wikipedia ban". The Post. 12 July 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d Wong, Justin (8 July 2025). "Two more challengers for Upper Hutt mayoralty". The Post. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ "Pukapuka Aratohu Kaitonopōti | Candidate Handbook" (PDF). www.upperhutt.govt.nz. Upper Hutt City Council. p. 16. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ a b Boyack, Nicholas (10 June 2024). "Surprise Upper Hutt mayoral candidate steps up". The Post. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
- ^ Swales, Hellen (7 July 2025). "Hellen Swales announces candidacy for Upper Hutt Mayor" (Press release). Scoop. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ Wong, Justin (18 March 2025). "Upper Hutt mayoral candidate wants to bring back local after-hours doctors". The Post. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
- ^ "Representation arrangements adopted for 2025 local elections". www.upperhutt.govt.nz. Upper Hutt City Council. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
- ^ a b "2025 Triennial Elections | Upper Hutt City Council". electionz.com. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ "Mayor and Councillors". www.upperhutt.govt.nz. Upper Hutt City Council. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ "Representation arrangements". www.gw.govt.nz. Greater Wellington Regional Council. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
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