Summarised by Centrist
After an early surge, voter turnout in New Zealand’s 2025 local elections has slumped. Most regions are tracking behind 2022 levels.
Wellington, which started ahead, is sitting at just over 30%, nearly identical to its previous election rate.
Auckland’s turnout has dropped to just under 22% from nearly 27%, Christchurch to about 31% from more than 38%, and Dunedin to around 26% from almost 40%.
Smaller districts are also seeing lower engagement. Only a few areas, including Mackenzie, with more than 48% and Taupō, at just over 40%, are ahead of previous figures.
Analysts say the slowdown reflects declining engagement rather than outright apathy. Researcher Jeffrey O’Neill noted that 77% of those who skipped local elections in 2022 did vote in the 2020 general election.
The difference, he said, lies in complexity. Without party affiliations or clear policy signals, voters find it harder to identify where candidates stand, and many conclude the effort outweighs the benefit.
O’Neill added that younger renters and students, who often move frequently or do not pay rates directly, feel disconnected from council issues. Meanwhile, experts say years of criticism from central government, repeatedly describing councils as “inefficient, irresponsible and irrelevant,” have damaged public confidence.
National turnout is now unlikely to exceed 2022 levels. Observers expect interest to rise again in future cycles when ratepayers begin to feel the financial impact of the government’s “Local Water Done Well” infrastructure reforms.
