Final count for candidate nominations confirmed at 66

Sixty-six candidates will be vying for 30 roles in the Far North local body election this October the Electoral Officer confirmed today (Monday 4 August).

When nominations closed at midday on Friday 1 August there was a provisional list of 64 candidates nominated. That number has now been confirmed with two extra nominations due to final checks of nomination forms by the Electoral Officer.

No roles in the Far North were without candidates when nominations closed on Friday. Positions without anyone being nominated to stand would require a by-election to be undertaken after the October election.

There are four community board positions where only one candidate is standing and those candidates will be elected unopposed. They are:

• Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board (Paihia subdivision) - Belinda Ward
• Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board (Kawakawa-Moerewa subdivision) - Roddy Pihema
• Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board (Russell-Ōpua subdivision) - Jane Hindle
• Te Hiku Community Board (Whatuwhiwhi subdivision) – Bill Subritzky.

It was expected that the provisional list of candidates would not be formally confirmed until Wednesday 6 August when all candidate information had been checked and possible technical issues resolved.

A full list of all candidates and the roles they are standing in can be found on our Local-Elections-2025 website.

Communities interested in hosting a ‘meet the candidate’ event can find contact details of candidates who have made their details public, now that the final list of candidates is confirmed. If you are hosting an event for all mayoral, councillor or community board candidates please contact elections@fndc.govt.nz to discuss promoting it on our website.

Elected members not standing

Mate Radich is the only standing councillor not seeking re-election.

Those not seeking re-election on the community boards include Lane Ayr (who is running for Northland Regional Council), Bruce Mills, and Amy Slack for the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board. Tanya Filia, Harmony Gundry and Trinity Edwards are not standing again for the Kaikohe-Hokianga board. For Te Hiku Community Board, only Sheryl Bainbridge is not standing in this year’s election.