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2025 Whangārei District Council election

2025 Whangārei District Council election
11 October 2025
Turnout30,490 (45.0%)
Mayoral election
 
Candidate Ken Couper Vince Cocurullo
Affiliation Independent Independent
Final vote 12,418 11,983
Percentage 40.7% 39.3%
Mayor before election

Vince Cocurullo
Independent

Elected mayor

Ken Couper
Independent

Council election
13 seats on the Whangārei District Council
7 seats needed for a majority
Party Seats +/–
Independents

12 −1
ACT Local

1 +1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

The 2025 Whangārei District Council election was a local election held from 9 September to 11 October in the Whangārei District of New Zealand as part of that year's nation-wide local elections. Voters elected the mayor of Whangārei and 13 district councillors for the 2025–2028 term of the Whangārei District Council. Postal voting and the single transferable voting voting system were used.

Councillor Ken Couper won the mayoralty, defeating incumbent mayor Vince Cocurullo.

The council introduced a Māori ward at the 2022 election. In a referendum on its future held at this election, as part of a nation-wide series of referendums, voters elected to remove the Māori ward for future elections.

Key dates

  • 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates opened
  • 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates closed at 12 pm
  • 9 September 2025: Voting documents were posted and voting opened
  • 11 October 2025: Voting closed at 12 pm and progress/preliminary results were published
  • 16–19 October 2025: Final results were declared.[1][2]

Background

Positions up for election

Voters elected thirteen councillors in six wards, as well as the mayor of Whangārei. Voters in the district also elected members of the Northland Regional Council.[a][2][3]

Māori wards referendum

In November 2020, the Whangārei District Council voted 8-6 to establish a Māori ward for the 2022 and 2025 elections.[4]

In July 2024, the National-led coalition government passed the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024 which reinstated the requirement that councils must hold a referendum before establishing Māori wards or constituencies. In August 2024, the council voted 12-1 to affirm their decision to establish the Māori constituency, thereby triggering a referendum on the constituency to be held alongside the 2025 local elections.[5]

Campaign

List of candidates

Incumbents not seeking re-election

  • Gavin Benney, councillor for the Hikurangi-Coastal general ward[6][7]
  • Phil Halse, deputy mayor and incumbent councillor for the Bream Bay general ward[7]
  • Patrick Holmes, incumbent councillor for the Whangārei Heads general ward[7]

Mayor

Candidate[8] Photo Affiliation[b] Notes
Vince Cocurullo None Incumbent mayor since 2022[6]
Ken Couper Independent Incumbent councillor.[7] Previously ran for the mayoralty in 2022.[10] Also ran for re-election as a councillor in the Bream Bay general ward.
Brad Flower Independent Previously ran for the mayoralty in 2022.[10] Also ran to be a councillor in the Whangārei Urban general ward.
Fiona Green None
Marie Olsen Independent Councillor for the Whangārei Urban general ward.[6][7] Also ran for re-election in the Whangārei Urban general ward.

Councillors

Whangārei District Māori ward

The Whangārei District Māori ward returned two councillors to the district council.[1]

Candidate[8] Affiliation Notes
Deb Harding None Incumbent councillor[7]
Phoenix Ruka None Incumbent councillor[7]
Sheila Taylor None

Bream Bay general ward

Bream Bay general ward returned two councillors to the district council.[1]

Candidate[8] Affiliation Notes
David Baldwin None
Ken Couper Independent Incumbent councillor.[7] Also ran for mayor.
Paul Grace None
Simon Schuster None
Shilane Shirkey None
Matthew Yovich ACT Local Fitter-turner, youth coach and community advocate[11]

Hikurangi-Coastal general ward

Hikurangi-Coastal general ward returned two councillors to the district council.[1]

Candidate[8] Affiliation Notes
Chanelle Armstrong None
Susy Bretherton None
Norma de Langen None
Ren Haskell None
Vicky Humphreys None
Stephen Gregory Martin None
Scott McKenzie None Incumbent councillor[6][7]

Mangakahia-Maungatapere general ward

Mangakahia-Maungatapere general ward returned one councillor to the district council.[1]

Candidate[8] Affiliation Notes
Simon Reid Independent Incumbent councillor[7]
Tim Robinson None

Whangārei Heads general ward

Whangārei Heads general ward returned one councillor to the district council.[1]

Candidate[8] Affiliation Notes
Tangiwai Baker None
Spencer Penney None
Jon Twyman None
Anthony Huon Wild None

Whangārei Urban general ward

Whangārei Urban general ward returned five councillors to the district council.[1]

Candidate[8] Affiliation Notes
Jesse Card None
Crichton Christie None
Nicholas Connop None Incumbent councillor[6][7]
Philip George Cullen None
Tony Dingle Independent
Tiana Epati None
Brad Flower Independent Also ran for mayor
Jayne Golightly Independent Incumbent councillor[7]
Paul Gosling None
Gabriel Henry None
Heath Kewene None
Marie Olsen Independent Incumbent councillor.[7] Also ran for mayor.
Julie Pepper None
Carol Peters None Incumbent councillor[6][7]
Jodie Rameka None
Adam Young Independent
Paul Yovich Independent Incumbent councillor[6][7]

Results

2025 Whangārei mayoral election

2025 Whangārei mayoral election[12]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote % Final vote[c] %
Independent Ken Couper not provided 12,418 40.73
Independent Vince Cocurullo† " " 11,983 39.30
Independent Marie Olsen " "
Independent Brad FLower " "
Independent Fiona Green 708 2.32
Informal 64 0.21
Blank 345 1.13
Turnout 30,490 45.00
Registered 67,761
Independent gain from Independent on 4th iteration
† incumbent

Bream Bay general ward

Bream Bay general ward[12]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote % Final vote[c] %
ACT Local Matthew Yovich 1,698 33.04 not provided
Independent David Baldwin not provided 1,472 28.64
Independent Simon Schuster " " 1,217 23.68
Independent Paul Grace " "
Independent Shilane Shirkey " "
Independent Ken Couper 0 0.00
Informal 58 1.13
Blank 84 1.63
Turnout 5,140 49.36
Registered 10,414
ACT Local gain from Independent on 1st iteration
Independent gain from Independent on 4th iteration

Hikurangi-Coastal general ward

Hikurangi-Coastal general ward[12]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote % Final vote[c] %
Independent Scott McKenzie† not provided not provided
Independent Stephen Martin " " 1,260 29.38
Independent Susy Bretherton " " 1,149 26.79
Independent Chanelle Armstrong " "
Independent Norma de Langen " "
Independent Vicky Humphreys " "
Independent Ren Haskell 143 3.33
Informal 40 0.93
Blank 87 2.3
Turnout 4,289 50.39
Registered 8,512
Independent hold on 4th iteration
Independent gain from Independent on 6th iteration
† incumbent

Mangakahia-Maungatapere general ward

Mangakahia-Maungatapere general ward[12]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote %
Independent Simon Reid† 1,476 58.09
Independent Tim Robinson 1,003 39.47
Informal 4 0.16
Blank 58 2.28
Turnout 2,541 53.25
Registered 4,772
Independent hold on 1st iteration
† incumbent

Whangārei Heads general ward

Whangārei Heads general ward[12]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote % Final vote[c] %
Independent Tangiwai Baker not provided 1,406 43.88
Independent Spence Penney " " 1,288 40.20
Independent Anthony Wild " "
Independent Jon Twyman 337 10.52
Informal 5 0.16
Blank 61 1.90
Turnout 3,204 59.48
Registered 5,387
Independent gain from Independent on 3rd iteration

Whangārei Urban general ward

Whangārei Urban general ward[12]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote % Final vote[c] %
Independent Marie Olsen† not provided not provided
Independent Brad Flower " " " "
Independent Nicholas Connop† " " " "
Independent Paul Yovich† " " " "
Independent Chrichton Christie " " 1,812 15.42
Independent Carol Peters† " " 1,549 13.18
Independent Jayne Golightly† " "
Independent Philip Cullen " "
Independent Tony Dingle " "
Independent Tiana Epati " "
Independent Jesse Card " "
Independent Jodie Rameka " "
Independent Paul Gosling " "
Independent Julie Pepper " "
Independent Heath Kewene " "
Independent Adam Young " "
Independent Gabriel Henry " "
Informal 160 1.36
Blank 194 1.65
Turnout 11,751 41.84
Registered 28,086
Independent hold on 1st iteration
Independent gain from Independent on 10th iteration
Independent hold on 16th iteration
Independent hold on 18th iteration
Independent gain from Independent on 19th iteration
† incumbent

Whangārei District Māori ward

Whangārei District Māori ward[12]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote %
Independent Pheonix Ruka† 1,426 39.56
Independent Deb Harding† 1,355 37.59
Independent Sheila Taylor 711 19.72
Informal 31 0.86
Blank 82 2.27
Turnout 3,605 34.04
Registered 10,590
Independent gain from Te Pāti Māori[d] on 1st iteration
Independent hold on 1st iteration
† incumbent

Māori wards referendum

Referendum on Māori wards[12]
Choice Votes %
I vote to REMOVE Māori constituencies 16,219 53.19
I vote to KEEP Māori constituencies 13,206 43.31
Informal 16 0.05
Blank 1,049 3.44
Turnout 30,490 45.00
Registered 67,761
Result: Māori wards to be abolished at next election.

Notes

  1. ^
    • 3 councillors fully elected from the district in the Whangārei Central, Coastal Central, and Coastal South general constituencies
    • 3 councillors partially elected from the district in the Mid North general, Kaipara general, and Te Raki Māori constituencies, respectively
  2. ^ A candidate may leave their affiliation blank, run as an independent, or run with an affiliation to an organisation, local body ticket or political party. Whangārei District Council does not allow election slogans to be used for the affiliation.[9]
  3. ^ a b c d e Rounded to whole number
  4. ^ Incumbent changed affiliation

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "2025 Local Elections Guide" (PDF). www.wdc.govt.nz. Whangarei District Council. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  2. ^ a b "2025 – Local elections". www.nrc.govt.nz. Northland Regional Council. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  3. ^ "FACT SHEET | PEPA MEKA" (PDF). www.nrc.govt.nz. Northland Regional Council. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  4. ^ Botting, Susan (2 November 2020). "Whangārei District Council to have Māori wards from 2022". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  5. ^ de Graaf, Peter (29 August 2024). "Whangārei District Council votes against scrapping Māori ward". RNZ. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Botting, Susan (6 April 2025). "Local elections: Two Northland Mayors face in-house challenges". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Mayor and Councillors". www.wdc.govt.nz. Whangarei District Council. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Candidates". www.wdc.govt.nz. Whangārei District Council. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  9. ^ "2025 CANDIDATE INFORMATION HANDBOOK" (PDF). www.wdc.govt.nz. Whangārei District Council. p. 13. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  10. ^ a b Piper, Denise (17 August 2022). "Whangārei mayoral race: Mix of experience and youth running to succeed Sheryl Mai". Stuff. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  11. ^ ACT New Zealand (25 June 2025). "ACT Announces Matthew Yovich As ACT Local Candidate For Whangarei". www.scoop.co.nz. Scoop. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h "Local Government Elections 2025 – Final" (PDF). Whangārei District Council. 17 October 2025.
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