Nominations for the local body elections open on Friday, 15 July.

The nomination period closes at 12 noon, Friday 12 August, and the electoral officers for Hawke’s Bay’s five Councils urge all prospective candidates not to wait until the last minute to read through the relevant information and complete the forms.

All candidate handbooks, nomination forms, pre-election reports and electoral donations and expenses forms will be available on all Council websites by the end of July.

Prospective candidates may also like to attend one of the following upcoming information sessions/candidate evenings:

• Napier City Council – 6:30pm, Monday 25 July, East Pier – Breakwater Room, 50 Nelson Quay, Napier. The event will also be livestreamed on the Napier City Council Facebook page. If prospective candidates have any questions they would like answered on the night, please forward them to: elections@napier.govt.nz
• Hastings District Council – 6:30pm, Tuesday 26 July, Council Chambers, Lyndon Road, Hastings. The event will also be livestreamed on the Hastings District Council Facebook page for those who are unable to attend in person. If prospective candidates have any questions they would like answered on the night, they can send these to democraticsupport@hdc.govt.nz.
• CHB District Council – 6:30pm, Wednesday 27 July, Council Chambers, Ruataniwha St, Waipawa.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s electoral officer will also be present at the Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay events to answer questions about standing for the Regional Council.

Candidates do not need to reside in the area (e.g. district, ward or community board) that they are standing for. Any eligible person is able to stand for Māori or general wards – people do not need to live in the Māori or general ward they are being nominated for.

In 2020-21, many local authorities resolved to establish Māori wards or constituencies for at least the 2022 and 2025 triennial elections. Māori wards or constituencies guarantee Māori representation on a local authority and provide for Māori participation in council decision-making.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Hastings District Council, and Wairoa District Council will all have Māori Ward(s) for the 2022 triennial election. Where Māori wards or constituencies have been established or are in the process of being established, the following applies:

• Any eligible person is able to stand for either Māori or general wards or constituencies – a person does not need to be of Māori descent or be on the Māori electoral roll to stand for a Māori ward or constituency (but must still be a New Zealand citizen, a parliamentary elector anywhere in New Zealand and nominated by two electors from the area the person is standing in).
• Only those electors on the Māori electoral roll are able to vote for those candidates standing for a Māori ward or constituency. Similarly, only those on the general electoral roll are able to vote for those candidates standing for a general ward or constituency.

Anyone who will turn 18 by the time of the elections is able to pre-enrol now. They will then be automatically enrolled on their 18th birthday.

Voting opens on Friday 16 September, and closes at noon on Saturday 8 October. If you are returning your voting paper by mail, you must post your voting paper in a NZ Post Box before Tuesday, 5 October to reach the electoral officer before the close of voting.

Anyone who has not yet enrolled to vote, or has not yet received an enrolment pack in the mail, still has some time to do something about it. The public can find out if they’re eligible to vote, enrol and check their details online at www.vote.nz.

Key dates to remember:

• 15 July - Nominations open for candidates.
• 12 August - Nominations close at 12 noon, and the electoral rolls close.
• 17 August - Electoral officers to publicise candidates’ names.
• 16-21 September - Voting papers delivered to households.
• 8 October - Voting papers must be at the council before voting closes at 12 noon. Preliminary results will be available as soon as possible afterwards.
• 14-19 - October - Official results declared.

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