Local Elections 2025: Waikato councils receive shake-up

Top (from left): Hamilton mayor Tim Macindoe, Waipā mayor Mike Pettit, Waikato mayor Aksel Bech, Matamata-Piako mayor Ash Tanner, Hauraki mayor Toby Adams and Thames-Coromandel mayor Peter Revell. Bottom (from left): South Waikato mayor Gary Petley, Taupō mayor John Funnell, Ōtorohanga mayor Rodney Dow, Waitomo mayor John Robertson and Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton.

The majority of districts in Waikato are in for a council shake-up, the local election’s preliminary results show.

It looks like there are lots of new faces around the 12 council tables within the Waikato Herald’s circulation area, with several new councillors being elected and previous mayors voted out.

Only four councils have re-elected their previous mayors.

However, special votes are still to be counted, meaning that for some races, results could still change.

The councils that preliminarily re-elected their previous mayors are Hauraki, with Toby Adams, South Waikato, with Gary Petley, Waitomo, with John Robertson and Ruapehu, with Weston Kirton.

Adams won by the greatest ratio of votes in the country, receiving 4694 votes, while second-placed Roman Jackson only secured 622, giving Adams 7.5 votes for every vote cast for Jackson.

Adams is now heading into his third term leading the Hauraki District. In 2022, he was elected unopposed.

Meanwhile, Petley is currently sitting at 1789 votes, but he’s closely followed by Zed Latinovic who received 1676 votes.

Robertson and Kirton both won the mayor’s seat by a margin of roughly 1000 votes.

Hamilton, Waikato District, Waipā, Thames-Coromandel, Ōtorohanga, Taupō and Matamata-Piako all have new mayors, although there are some familiar faces.

Waikato District elected Aksel Bech, who served on the council from 2016-2022, including one term as deputy mayor, voting out previous mayor Jacqui Church who stood for re-election.

Waipā’s new mayor is school principal and councillor of 16 years Mike Pettit, who won over previous mayor Susan O’Regan, who had hoped for a second term in the top job.

Matamata-Piako elected previous mayor Ash Tanner, who didn’t seek re-election in 2022 after 12 years in local government, but decided to stand again this election.

This means Adrienne Wilcock, who served nine years on the council, including the last three as mayor and hoped to get re-elected, has been voted out.

Thames-Coromandel elected one-term councillor and former Thames Community Board member Peter Revell as the new mayor, meaning previous mayor Len Salt is out.

Hamilton and Ōtorohanga were bound to have new mayors regardless, as Paula Southgate and Max Baxter both decided to retire from local politics.

Hamilton elected previous councillor and MP Tim Macindoe while Ōtorohanga’s new mayor is previous councillor Rodney Dow.

Taupō has elected John Funnell, a former search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, meaning previous mayor David Trewavas, who had his eyes on a fifth term, is out.

Looking at the result of the Māori Ward polls, seven councils in the Waikato Herald circulation area opted to remove them for the 2028 election.

Only Hamilton and Ruapehu voted in favour of keeping them.

South Waikato and Waitomo don’t have Māori Wards, so they weren’t required to hold the poll.

Waikato Regional Council voted to establish their Māori Wards in 2012, so the two seats were excluded from this year’s poll.