Local elections 2025: South Waikato candidates vie for mayor council positions

South Waikato District Council in Tokoroa. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

The countdown to the local elections is officially on, and candidate nominations have now closed. In South Waikato, 30 people have put their names forward to represent the district.

Of those, seven people have thrown their hats in the ring for the mayoralty.

They are incumbent Gary Petley, David Barnes, Jeremy Hall, Zed Latinovic, Greg Mark, Joshua Michael Smith-Holley, and current councillor Sandra Wallace.

Smith-Holley and Barnes are also standing in the Tokoroa Ward, and Wallace and Latinovic are also standing in the Putāruru Ward.

In addition to her and Latinovic, five candidates are standing for the ward’s three seats: George Dixon, Sapphire Marama, Danny Scott, Dave Shaw and current councillor Hans Nelis.

The largest contest will be in the Tokoroa Ward, where 16 candidates are vying for six seats.

In addition to Smith-Holley and Barnes, Ray Adlam, Tony Herlihy, real estate agent Ani Lipscombe, Frank McIsaac, local vet Nick Portas, previous councillor Peter Schulte, Michael Thomas, Forest and Bird regional conservation manager Elvisa van der Leden, 2023 general election candidate Gordon Wilson and current councillors Hamish Daine, Thomas Lee, Bill Machen, Maria Te Kanawa and Josiah Teokotai are standing for election.

Tīrau Ward councillor Kerry Purdy has been elected unopposed.

The Tīrau Community Board has also been elected unopposed: Chris Hunt, Graham Singers, Mandeep Singh and Fiona Van Lent were the only candidates.

Voting papers will be delivered from Tuesday, September 9. Polls close at noon on Saturday, October 11.

In the 2022 local elections, South Waikato recorded a turnout of 45.7%.