How to become a candidate

Who can be a candidate

To be a candidate for an elected member position, you must be:

  • a New Zealand citizens
  • over 18 years old
  • enrolled on the electoral roll.

You don't need any special qualifications - elected members come from all backgrounds, with Council being representative of the communities of the Wellington Region.

To be effective you will need to bring a broad range of skills to the role:

  • decision making and strategic thinking
  • communication and community engagement
  • relationship building and collaboration
  • understanding o Te Tiriti o Waitangi
  • ability to use a range of technology
How to become a candidate

As part of the nomination process you will need to:

  • complete the nomination form
  • get two people to nominate you - they must be over 18 and enrolled in the area you wish to be a candidate for
  • pay a nomination deposit of $200 - you may get a refund depending on how many votes you received
  • submit a photo and candidate profile statement
Regulations for campaigning

There are regulations around campaigning, including:

  • how much you can spend
  • recording and return of donations
  • how, where and when you can display signage

For full details please see the candidate handbook, the Local Electoral Act 2001, or contact Greater Wellington's Electoral Officer. 

Updated 9 June 2025 at 16:24