2019 New Zealand local elections


The 2019 New Zealand local elections were triennial elections that were held from 20 September until 12 October 2019 to elect local mayors and councillors, regional councillors, and members of various other local government bodies.
All 11 of New Zealand's regions and all 67 cities and districts participated in the election.

Key dates

Key dates relating to the local elections were as follows:
1 July 2019Electoral Commission enrolment campaign starts.
19 July 2019Nominations open for candidates.
Rolls open for inspection at council offices and other sites locally.
16 August 2019Nominations close at 12:00.
Rolls close.
21 August 2019Election date and candidates' names publicised by electoral officers.
20–25 September 2019Voting documents delivered to households. Electors can post the documents back to electoral officers as soon as they have voted.
12 October 2019Polling day — The voting documents must be at the council before voting closes at 12:00.
Preliminary results will be available as soon as possible afterwards.
17–23 October 2019Official results declared

Elections

Regional councils

The regional level of government in New Zealand is organised into areas controlled by regional councils.


Unitary authorities

Unitary authorities are local government entities that have the powers of both a territorial authority and those of a regional council. There are currently five unitary authorities.
The Chatham Islands have a unique, separately-legislated council that has almost all the powers of a unitary authority.


Territorial authorities

The city and district level of government in New Zealand is organised into areas controlled by territorial authorities. Some of these also have the powers of regional governments and are known as unitary authorities. The Chatham Islands have their own specially legislated form of government.


Mayors

All territorial authorities directly elect mayors.


Community boards

Elections were also held for community boards, which have been set up by several of the territorial authorities under Part 4 of the Local Government Act 2002 to represent the interests of particular communities within those territories.

District health boards

Elections were also held for District health boards. These were the last elections held for the DHBs before they were disestablished on 1 July 2022 and replaced by Te Whatu Ora.

Licensing trusts

Elections were also be held for licensing trusts, which are community-owned companies with government-authorised monopolies on the development of premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages and associated accommodation in an area.

Analysis

Mayoral election results

In Auckland, Phil Goff was re-elected Mayor and at least 16 of the city's 20 councillors retained their seats, with two new councillors winning seats which were vacated by retirement. In Hamilton, incumbent mayor Andrew King lost to Paula Southgate, who previously challenged him in 2016, while four controversial councillors were voted out of office. In Wellington incumbent mayor Justin Lester was unseated by Andy Foster, who received a high-profile endorsement from filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson. The election also marked the first time a Green Party member was elected to serve as a mayor in New Zealand, with Aaron Hawkins being elected Mayor of Dunedin.

Low candidate numbers

According to The Spinoff editor Toby Manhire, the 2019 local elections had the lowest number of candidate nominations relative to the total number of available seats. Of the 572 local body elections held that year, 101 seats and positions were not contested while 235 candidates were elected unopposed.