Nominate or Stand

Local government only succeeds if people who care for their communities are prepared to serve and stand for office. As an Elected Member of Council or a community board, you’ll be making a positive difference for Kāpiti Coast’s people and communities today and into the future.

This year there will be a Māori ward alongside the general ward. Voters on the general electoral roll will vote in their general ward, while those on the Māori electoral roll will vote in the Māori ward. 

The process for becoming a candidate in either ward is the same.

Thinking of standing? What you need to know

The nomination period for the local elections opens on 4 July and closes 1 August at 12 noon sharp.

As an elected member, you will:

• Be involved in community engagement with your council
• Commit to ensuring all voices are heard
• Work to build and protect a culture of inclusion and belonging
• Demonstrate your commitment to honouring the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi

Good governance balances short- and long-term responsibilities. Your role will focus on the overall performance of Council, including how it meets community expectations and aspirations, fulfils statutory obligations, and manages assets.

You can read the 2025 Candidate Information Handbook [PDF 12.34 MB] for detailed information on the election process, including the electoral system (single transferable vote – STV), rules on campaigning and election signs, induction processes, and more.

We also encourage you to read the Pre-election Report 2025 which outlines the role of Council governance (Elected Members) in addressing local needs, and summarises our strategic direction, and major projects and finances over the past and next three years. It also outlines the major challenges and issues facing our district, encouraging informed discussions for both candidates and voters.

Nomination process

If you want to stand for Council or a community board you will need two electors (enrolled voters) to nominate you by signing the nomination form. The two electors must:

• live in the ward or community board area you want to stand for
• be enrolled to vote.

All nominations need to be received by Council's electoral officials by noon sharp, 1 August 2025 – this deadline can't be extended, as it's set by law. 

The nomination process involves: 

• Completing an official nomination form using the online portal or downloading and printing from the forms below. You can also pick up a nomination form from Council’s service centres and libraries. 
• Nominations from two enrolled electors. Candidates cannot nominate themselves, and people who nominate candidates must be over 18 years old and enrolled to vote in the area the candidate is planning to stand.
• Candidates must consent to their nomination going forward.
• A $200 deposit must be paid, which may be refunded depending on election results. 
• Candidates must be New Zealand citizens.

Make a nomination

All nominations must be received by 1 August 12 noon sharp. But please don’t leave lodging your nomination to the last minute; late or incomplete nominations may not allow enough time to fix any issues and could be invalidated. If the electoral officer or electoral official receives a nomination after the close of nominations, the nomination is invalid.

Each nomination must be made via the online nominations portal or using the official nomination paper. A separate nomination form is required for each position you wish to stand for.

How to submit your nomination

There are three ways to submit your nomination:

Resources for prospective candidates

There are also some great resources available for prospective candidates, including Local Government New Zealand’s pre-election learning which is available online through its Ākona platform.

There you will find short videos on the structure, roles and funding of local government, and modules on what is involved in the life of an elected member.

Staying safe in the online world

The free to lead toolkit can support women with a public profile or who use online spaces as part of their mahi, and their employers, gain practical tools and strategies to act against instances of online harm. 

The toolkit includes two practical modules and a powerful video series, Beyond the Keyboard, featuring seven high-profile New Zealand women sharing their real experiences of navigating the online world.

While this toolkit was designed for women who have a public profile, the guidance in this module can be helpful to anyone navigating the online world.

 Factsheet, FAQs and handbook