How we elect our Council

Check out what local government elections look like for our council.

Palmerston North city local electoral boundary.

In Palmerston North we are represented by:

a mayor, across the city
2 councillors across the city elected to a Māori ward, Te Pūao Ward
13 councillors across the city elected to a general ward, Te Hirawanui Ward

Elections are held once every three years. If there is an unexpected vacancy, a by-election may need to be held.

We choose who will represent us by using the single transferable voting (STV) electoral system. Under STV, you rank candidates according to preference, rather than ticking the names of the candidates you wish to vote for. You may rank as few or as many candidates as you wish, regardless of the number required to be elected.

We vote by post. Voting documents are mailed to those people whose names are confirmed on the electoral roll. If your name is not on the final electoral roll you may still qualify to cast a special vote.

For more information about how elections are held in Palmerston North, you can contact our electoral officer, Dale Ofsoske, Independent Election Services Ltd, on 0800 922 822 or email dale@electionservices.co.nz