Elections
Hamilton City Council is governed by a Mayor and 12 Councillors. They are elected every three years to make decisions and represent the needs and interests of their community.
Six Councillors represent the west ward, six councillors represent the east ward and the Mayor is elected by the whole city.
Local authority elections take place every three years on the second Saturday in October using the postal voting method. The elections are held under the Local Electoral Act 2001, The Local Electoral Regulations 2001, the Local Government Act 2002 and the Local Government Act 2010.
This year the elections will be held on Saturday 12 October 2013.
Hamilton voters may vote for:
- a Mayor and Councillors for Hamilton City Council,
- Councillors for the Waikato Regional Council, and
- representatives for the Waikato District Health Board.
To vote in a local election you must be:
- 18 years of age or over
- enrolled as a parliamentary elector at the address where you live, or
- enrolled as a ratepayer elector for a property you own in a different district or city from where you live.
Find out more on how to enrol or vote by visiting the elections website
You can stand for a mayoralty or membership on Council if you are:
- a New Zealand citizen,
- at least 18 years old, and
- on the electoral roll.
To stand as a candidate in the local elections you need to have two electors from that area nominate you. Public notices are given for when nominations must be received. Becoming a candidate costs $200. This may be refunded, depending on how many votes you receive.
In addition, a candidate for election to a District Health Board must not be disqualified by either clause 17, Schedule 2 of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 or section 30(2)(a) to (f) of the Crown Entities Act 2004.
Detailed candidate information booklets will be available from the electoral office at the end of June 2013.
Nominations for all positions will open on Friday 26 July 2013 and close at noon on Friday 23 August 2013.
If proposed legislation is enacted (expected by 1 July 2013), the process will be moved a week earlier so that nominations for all positions will be open on Friday 19 July 2013 and close at noon on Friday 16 August 2013.
During the nomination period, nomination forms will be available:
- From the electoral office – Hamilton City Council, Municipal Building, Garden Place.
- By phoning 07 838 6883 to request that a nomination form be posted to you.
Candidate Information Seminars:
Two candidate information seminars are being held in the Reception Lounge, Ground Floor, Municipal Building, Hamilton City Council to provide relevant information to prospective candidates.
Each seminar will provide information about:
- the governance structure of Hamilton City Council,
- the electoral process, and
- what happens once elected.
- Tuesday, 16 July 2013, 7.00pm - 9.00pm
- Tuesday, 23 July 2013, 7.00pm - 9.00pm
In April 2013, Council resolved to make sites available in each ward for candidate signage. More information will be available in the candidate information booklet.
For further information regarding the upcoming Hamilton City Council elections, please contact the Hamilton City Council Electoral Officer at the below details:
Electrol Officer
Democracy Unit
Level 9, Council Offices
Garden Place
Hamilton
Phone: 07 838 6883