Hamilton’s local election is about to land in your letterbox.
From next week, voting packs will start arriving, giving Hamiltonians everything they need to make their voices heard this election. Packs include a voting paper, return envelope, and candidate profiles.
Voting opens on Tuesday 9 September and runs through to midday Saturday 11 October.
Hamilton City Council Chief Executive Lance Vervoort said the election is a major opportunity for residents to help shape the future of our city, with 52 candidates standing - including 12 for Mayor.
“There will be at least five fresh faces around the Council table after the election, including a new mayor, so its vital Hamiltonians have their say on who represents them.
“We’re committed to making voting as easy as possible.”
In the 2022 local election, fewer than 30% of eligible Hamiltonians voted.
To vote, simply rank the candidates in order of preference by writing a number next to their name, starting from one. You don’t need to rank every candidate – just make sure not to skip numbers or use the same number twice. Once you’ve ranked your preferred candidates, return your voting paper in a ballot box or post box.
Voters are being urged to post their ballots by Tuesday 7 October to guarantee they will arrive in time to be counted.
If you missed the enrolment deadline to receive voting papers by mail, you can still vote by completing a special vote. Just go to Council’s office in Garden Place or any Hamilton City Library.
Alongside the local election, voters will also take part in a binding poll to decide whether Hamilton should keep or remove its Maaori Ward.
To help boost voter turnout, Council’s election team will be using a Voting Van to visit businesses, organisations, and community events across the city. To request a visit from the Voting Van, go to hamilton.govt.nz/election.
To support voters to make informed decisions, candidate profiles – including video introductions – are available at hamilton.govt.nz/elections2025/candidates.
Council has also prepared a Pre-election Report that outlines the key challenges and opportunities facing Hamilton as it continues to grow.
Read the report here.