Whangārei faces first new local election voting system change in a generation

Whangārei district elections billboards such as this one at Waipu are popping up and aiming to encourage people to vote. Photo / Susan Botting

Whangārei’s 67,000 voters will have to get to grips with a new voting system in the local elections this year.

Voters will need to choose their 14 Whangārei District Council (WDC) politicians via the Single Transferable Vote (STV) voting system for this year’s local elections.

This voting system change will be the first in almost a generation.

WDC has used the First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system since 2001.

In an STV election, a voter still gets one vote. But that’s achieved differently from FPP.

An STV voter ranks candidates in preference order using numbers rather than FPP’s ticks.

The voter writes 1 beside their favourite candidate, 2 alongside the second most favourite candidate and so on.

Voters can rank as many candidates as they like and don’t have to rank them all.

If a voter’s top-choice candidate receives more votes than they need to be elected under STV, the extra portion of that voter’s vote can be transferred to their next preferred candidate.

The STV votes are counted in stages. All first preference votes are counted first.

To be elected, candidates must reach what’s called the quota. This is a number based on the total number of valid votes and number of vacant positions.

When a candidate reaches the quota and is elected, a portion of the surplus votes goes to their second choices.

All of the vote counting is done by computer using specialist software.

Far North District Council is also using STV voting system for the 2025 local elections.

Meanwhile, Kaipara District Council and Northland Regional Council are using the FPP voting system

Under the FPP electoral system, the candidate with the most votes wins.

The voter gets only a single vote and that vote goes to one candidate.

Most New Zealand councils are using the FPP voting system this year .

WDC and FNDC are among just 15 New Zealand councils are using the STV voting system.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.