2025 Napier City Council election Turnout TBD Mayoral election
Mayor before election Kirsten WiseIndependent
Elected mayor TBD
Council election
All 12 ward seats on the Napier City Council Incumbents before election Affiliation Seats Change Independents 10 Working Together[ a] 2
The 2025 Napier City Council election is an upcoming local election to be held from 9 September to 11 October in Napier , New Zealand, as part of that year's nation-wide local elections . Voters will elect the mayor of Napier and 11 city councillors for the 2025–2028 term of the Napier City Council . Postal voting and the first-past-the-post voting system will be used.
The council voted to introduce a Māori ward for this election; its future will be decided in a referendum on the issue, as part of a nation-wide series of referendums .
Key dates 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates will open 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates will close at 12 pm 9 September 2025: Voting documents will be posted and voting will open 11 October 2025: Voting will close at 12 pm and progress/preliminary results will be published 16–19 October 2025: Final results will be declared.[ 1] [ 2]
Background
Positions up for election Voters will elect the mayor of Napier and 12 councillors from 4 wards. They will also elect 4 members of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council .[ b] [ 3] [ 4]
Campaign Advertisements seen along Marine Parade
A group called For Wards Hawke's Bay formed to support the pro-ward position at the referendums in the wider Hawke's Bay region. The group will hold a meeting on 23 July in Clive chaired by regional council chair Rex Graham, with various speakers including local Presbyterian minister Jill McDonald, Hastings Māori ward councillor Heather Te Au-Skipworth, HB Multicultural Society president Rizwaana Latiff and Hayley Whittaker from the Public Service Association.[ 5]
Hawke's Bay Today [ 6]
List of candidates
Incumbents not seeking re-election Maxine Boag, councillor since 2007 [ 7] Annette Brosnan, incumbent deputy mayor and fourth-term councillor[ 8] Hayley Browne, councillor since 2019 , is instead running for a seat on the Hawke's Bay Regional Council [ 9] Chad Tareha, first-term councillor for the Taradale ward[ 8]
Mayor Candidate[ 10] Affiliation [ c] Notes Richard McGrath Commonsense change, needs before wants Councillor since 2014.[ 9] [ 8] Nigel Simpson Independent Councillor since 2019 , stood for the mayoralty in 2022 and lost to Wise.[ 12] Kirsten Wise Independent Incumbent mayor since 2019[ 7]
Councillors
Te Whanga Māori ward will return two councillors to the city council.[ 13]
Candidate[ 10] Affiliation Notes Whare Isaac-Sharland None [ 14] Kirk Kia-maia Leonard None [ 14] Shyann Raihania None [ 14]
Ahuriri general ward Ahuriri general ward will return three councillors to the city council.[ 13]
Candidate[ 10] Affiliation Notes Iain Bradley ACT Local [ 15] Roger Brownlie Independent Retailer and orchardist[ 14] Louise Burnside Independent Sally Crown Experienced, Strong, Grounded Incumbent councillor since 2019[ 7] [ 8] Karl Goodchild Lower Rates Previously ran for council in 2022[ 16] Juliet Greig None Incumbent councillor since 2022[ 7] [ 8] Lyndal Johansson Independent, fresh voice [ 14] Ben Newport Independent Keith Price Independent Incumbent councillor since 2010[ 7] [ 8]
Napier Central general ward Napier Central general ward will return three councillors to the city council.[ 13]
Candidate[ 10] Affiliation Notes Te Kira Lawrence Independent Previously ran for council in 2022[ 17] Taiatini Lepaio Independent [ 14] Greg 'Grego' Mawson Working with you, for you Incumbent councillor since 2019[ 7] [ 8] [ 14] Richard McGrath Your Community Representative Incumbent councillor since 2014.[ 8] Craig Morley Get back to basics
Taradale general ward Taradale general ward will return three councillors to the city council.[ 13]
Candidate[ 10] Affiliation Notes Ronda Chrystal Independent Incumbent councillor since 2019[ 7] [ 8] [ 14] Terry Cornish None Semi-retired businessman[ 14] Nigel Simpson Independent Incumbent councillor since 2019.[ 8] Graeme Taylor Independent Incumbent councillor since 2010[ 7] [ 8] [ 14]
Results Final results are expected to be released by 19 October.
Mayor Affiliation Candidate Votes % 1 mayor, to be determined Informal Blank Turnout Registered Independent incumbent
Council Ward Previous Elected Te Whanga Māori new to be determined new Ahuriri general Hayley Browne (Ind.) Keith Price (Ind.) new Napier Central general new new new Onekawa-Tamatea Annette Brosnan (WT) abolished Richard McGrath (WT) abolished Nelson Park Maxine Boag (Ind.) abolished Sally Crown (Ind.) abolished Juliet Greig (Ind.) abolished Greg Mawson (Ind.) abolished Taradale general Ronda Chrystal (Ind.) Nigel Simpson (Ind.) Chad Tareha (Ind.) Graeme Taylor (Ind.) abolished
Affiliation Candidate Votes % 2 councillors, to be determined Informal Blank Turnout Registered new ward new ward
Ahuriri general ward Affiliation Candidate Votes % 3 councillors, to be determined Informal Blank Turnout Registered Independent incumbent Independent incumbent new ward seat
Napier Central general ward Affiliation Candidate Votes % 3 councillors, to be determined Informal Blank Turnout Registered new ward new ward new ward
Taradale general ward Affiliation Candidate Votes % 3 councillors, to be determined Informal Blank Turnout Registered Independent incumbent Independent incumbent Independent incumbent
Referendum Choice Votes % to be determined Turnout
See also
Notes ^ Working Together for Onekawa Tamatea ^ 3 representing the city exclusively. 1 representing the wider region from a Māori constituency. ^ 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 . Napier City Council does not allow whānau , hapū , or iwi details to be used for the affiliation.[ 11]
References
Elections(non-exhaustive )
Related articles
Popular vote share of winning councillors by ward
Keep Māori ward 
Abolish Māori ward 