Local elections 2025: Thames-Coromandel candidate list features 29 standing for mayor and wards

Completed voting papers must be returned by noon on Saturday, October 11.

The countdown to the local elections is officially on, with candidate nominations now closed. In Thames-Coromandel, 29 people have put their names forward to represent the district.

Six of those are vying for the mayoralty, including incumbent Len Salt who hopes to get re-elected.

The other candidates are previous council candidate Steve Hart, Patrick Kerr, Te Whāriki Manawāhine O Hauraki chief executive Denise Messiter, James Subritzky and current councillor Peter Revell.

Hart is also standing for a seat in the Thames Ward.

For the Coromandel-Colville General Ward, two candidates, Robert Barry Ashman and current councillor John Morrissey, are contesting the single vacancy.

In the Mercury Bay General Ward, six candidates vie for three seats.

They are former councillor and Advance NZ Party Coromandel candidate Tony Brljevich, Flemming Rasmussen, and Peter Haultain Wood, as well as current councillors Rekha Giri-Percival, John Grant and Deli Connell.

The South East General Ward has six contenders for two vacancies.

They are current Whangamatā Community Board members Denis Beaver, Mark Drury, and Neil Evans, former mayoral candidate John William Freer, Kurt Jarrett, and Alison Smith.

In Thames General Ward, nine candidates are competing for three seats.

They are Steve Baker, Scott Douglas Bright, Creative Coromandel chairperson Fiona Cameron, Greg Hampton, Steve Hart, Cole Justin McDowell, current Thames Community Board member Kishan Raikwar, as well as current councillors Martin Rodley and Robyn Sinclair.

Michael Barlow was elected unopposed to the Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward.

Current councillor Gary Gottlieb is not seeking re-election, while Deputy Mayor Terry Walker is standing only for a community board seat.

Community Board candidates

Whangamatā Community Board has six candidates for four vacancies.

They are current board members Mark Drury and Neil Evans, as well as Graeme Smith, Sally Smith, Terry Walker, and Heather Marie Watt.

The Mercury Bay Community Board has seven candidates vying for four seats.

They are Kim Abrahamson, Rob Davis, current board members Caroline Hobman, Bess Kingi Edmonds and Peter Mackenzie, Joanne Ruth Pullin, and Richard Mason Shelford-Woodcock.

Coromandel-Colville Community Board has nine candidates competing for four vacancies, including Susanna Borgstede, James Castle, Kate James, Alexei McDermott, and Danny Topia, as well as current board members Jean Ashby, Kim Brett, James Davis, and Gavin Jeffcoat.

The Tairua-Pāuanui Community Board has five candidates for four vacancies.

They are Georgina Bond and Michael Paul Bush, as well as current board members Warwick Brooks, Chris New and Barry Roberts.

The Thames Community Board features eight candidates for four seats: Steve Hart, Stuart Hislop, Glenn Leach, Cole Justin McDowell, and Warren Sly as well as current board members Adrian Catran, Holly Mackenzie and Rob Johnston.

A binding poll on the future of the Māori ward will also be held in line with the election.

Voting opens September 9 and closes at noon on October 11.

Documents can be returned by post or hand-delivered to the council’s main office at 515 Mackay St, Thames; Coromandel Town Service Centre at 355 Kapanga Rd, Coromandel; Mercury Bay Service Centre at 10 Monk St, Whitianga; Tairua Library at 2 Manaia St, Tairua; or Whangamatā Service Centre at 620 Port Rd, Whangamatā.

In the 2022 local election, 52.1% of eligible Thames-Coromandel residents voted.