Becoming a candidate

To be eligible to stand for election, a candidate must be:

• A New Zealand citizen
• Enrolled as a parliamentary elector anywhere in New Zealand

A candidate in the local elections needs to be nominated by two electors whose names appear on the Electoral Roll for the district or ward for which the candidate is standing.

Becoming a candidate costs $200 including GST. This may be refunded, depending on how many votes the candidate receives. 

We are here to help you. If you would like to talk to someone about standing for election, please contact our Chief Executive, Alex Parmley, on aparmley@waitaki.govt.nz or EA to People and Culture Group Manager, People and Culture, Carole Hansen, on chansen@waitaki.govt.nz.

Nominations

Candidates must be nominated by two people, both of whom need to sign the nomination form. The nominees must be on the Electoral Roll for the district or ward of the district in which the candidate is standing (eg candidates for the Corriedale Ward must be nominated by two electors whose names appear on the Electoral Roll for the Corriedale Ward). Candidates must also sign the nomination form.

Candidates cannot nominate themselves for office. They can stand independently or under a party grouping or affiliation – similar to the process that political parties use in parliamentary elections.

Nominators

Nominators for candidates for Waitaki District Council or for our Community Boards can be residents or ratepayers who are on the Electoral Roll in that ward.