Mayor of the Far North

The mayor of the Far North is the elected head of local government in the Far [North District] of New Zealand's North Island; one of 67 mayors in the country. The largest town in the district is Kerikeri and the council is based in Kaikohe. The mayor presides over the Far [North District Council] and is directly elected using the single transferable vote method.
The current mayor is Moko Tepania, first elected in October 2022 during that year's local elections. He is a member of the Te Rarawa and Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa Māori iwi.

Method of election

In August 2020, Far North District councillors unanimously voted to use the single transferable vote system in future elections. Then mayor John Carter abstained from voting on the issue. A non-binding survey of local residents on the issue received 637 submissions, resulting in 231-to-406 in favour of adopting STV. The council previously used a first-past-the-post system. This change of electoral system will be reconsidered following the 2025 local elections.