Hawke's Bay's new mayoral team Craig Little, left, Will Foley, Wendy Schollum, and Richard McGrath. Photo / NZME
Voter turnout significantly rose during the 2025 local elections in Hawke’s Bay, with final results now confirmed for most councils.
Final results were released on Thursday night for Hastings, Napier, Central Hawke’s Bay and Tararua councils, with special votes added to the tally.
Wairoa District Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council were expected to receive final results late on Friday, after Hawke’s Bay Today’s print deadline, but have shared preliminary results.
The make-up of each council has now been confirmed for the next triennium, with the exception of a final councillor position for Tamatea Central Hawke’s Bay on the regional council.
Just 12 votes separate regional council candidates Tony Kuklinski and Tim Aitken, with special votes to be added (special votes make up less than 2% of the vote for that council).
A full list of each council’s elected members can be found below.
All councils in the region boasted higher voter turnout this year, with Hastings (46% voter turnout) and Central Hawke’s Bay (56% voter turnout) seeing the biggest increase - up from 34% and 44% respectively in 2022.
Napier (46% voter turnout), Tararua (55%) and Wairoa (54% preliminary) also saw increased voter participation.
Voter turnout was similar to the 2019 local elections.
Remarkably, the 2025 election marked the first time since 2013 that an incumbent mayor was defeated in a Hawke’s Bay mayoral race.
Richard McGrath (Napier), Will Foley (Central Hawke’s Bay), and Scott Gilmore (Tararua) all defeated the incumbents.
Long-standing Wairoa Mayor Craig Little was the last person to achieve that feat in 2013, and ironically was the only mayor to keep his job in the region during this election.
Former Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst decided not to run again this year, meaning a new mayor was always going to be chosen for Hastings - a tight race won by Wendy Schollum.
Little said there were a few shocks in the results this year, and his advice to new mayors was “don’t come in guns blazing”.
“Actually learn what you have to do first, and what you can do and what you can’t do.”
He said to build a good relationship among the mayors for regional issues, it was important to get a handle on what had been done to date and what can’t be done - with the likes of cyclone recovery.
Outgoing councillor Denise Eaglesome-Karekare, one of the region’s longest-serving councillors, said her advice to new councillors was to get “very familiar” with the Local Government Act.
“That essentially tells them what they are there for and what they can and can’t do.”
She said honesty was also important.
The region’s councils, except Wairoa, all voted to remove Māori wards, which is binding for the 2028 and 2031 local elections.
Wairoa District Council did not take part in that binding referendum as it had previously held its own referendum where voters had voted in favour of it.
New mayors and councillors will be sworn in at the council’s first meetings: October 28 for Central Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa District Council, October 29 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, October 30 for Napier City Council and Tararua District Council, and November 11 for Hastings District Council.
Napier City Council: Richard McGrath (10,185 votes), Kirsten Wise (6763), Nigel Simpson (3989).
Hastings District Council: Wendy Schollum (7212 votes), Marcus Buddo (6613), Steve Gibson (5810), Damon Harvey (5569), Darrin Wilson (1107).
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council: Will Foley (3854 votes), Alex Walker (2209).
Tararua District Council: Scott Gilmore (2900 votes), Tracey Collis (2413), Steve Wallace (1008), Michael Spence (416), Evan Matthew Nattrass (304).
Wairoa District Council (preliminary result): Craig Little (1563 votes), Denise Eaglesome-Karekare (1226), Kurawari Panere (138), Camden Gaskin (84).
Napier City Council: Richard McGrath (Mayor), Roger Brownlie*, Keith Price, Sally Crown, Greg Mawson, Craig Morley*, Te Kira Lawrence*, Graeme Taylor, Ronda Chrystal, Nigel Simpson, Shyann Raihania*, Whare Isaac-Sharland*.
Hastings District Council: Wendy Schollum (Mayor), Derek Nowell-Usticke*, Alwyn Corban, Hana Montaperto-Hendry, Steve Gibson*, Michael Fowler, Yvonne Lorkin*, Kevin Watkins, Callum Ross*, Simon Nixon, Nick Ratcliffe*, Henare O’Keefe*, Elisha Milmine*, Heather Te Au-Skipworth, Kellie Jessup, Siiam Daniel*.
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council: Will Foley (Mayor)*, Gerard Minehan, Kelly Annand, Jerry Greer, Brent Muggeridge, Kate Taylor, Todd Chote*, Pip Burne, Kirsty Lawrence*, Amiria Nepe Apatu*.
Tararua District Council: Scott Gilmore (Mayor), Steve Wallace, Erana Peeti-Webber, Sharon Wards, Alison Amboy*, Elisabeth Kennedy*, Peter Johns, Peter Naylor*, Chris Corlett*, Keshaan Te Waaka*.
Wairoa District Council: Craig Little (Mayor), Jeremy Harker, Roz Thomas, Sara Bird*, Trevor Teotaia Hirini Waikawa*, Benita Cairns, Michelle Tahuri*.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council: Di Roadley, Neil Kirton, Louise Parsons*, Hinewai Ormsby, Jerf van Beek, Jock Mackintosh, Sophie Siers, Conrad Waitoa*, Michelle McIlroy*, Thompson Hokianga, final councillor will be either Tony Kuklinski* or Tim Aitken* (pending special votes).
*New councillors