Information for Candidates

• Go to a meeting: Upcoming meetings and hearings
• Read minutes and agendas for Council and committee meetings: Agendas and Minutes

2025 local election resources will be available in mid-2025 and the Council will hold candidate information session on 10th July 2025.

Information for candidates is available on the Vote Local (external link) website.

The resources below were prepared for the 2022 local elections and reference 2022 dates. All other information remains relevant and is useful for people considering standing:

• 2022 candidate handbook
• 2022 meeting overview booklet
• 2022 candidate information session presentation

There is useful candidate guidance available from:

• Candidates' guidance – Local Government New Zealand – LGNZ (external link)
• Candidate FAQs – Vote 25 | Pōti 25

Before you start your campaign, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

All candidates should refer to the candidate handbook.
All election advertising, using any medium including social media, must identify the person under whose authority they have been produced, as per section 113 of the Local Electoral Act 2001. This requires an authorisation statement, clearly visible on any and all campaigning material setting out:

• The true name of the person, persons or organisation at whose direction the signage has been erected.
• The contact details for that person/organisation:
  • a residential or business address; or
  • an email address; or
  • a post office box number; or
  • a phone number; or
  • a link to an internet site (if the page contains one or more of the above).

Election signs can be put up from Monday 11 August 2025 and must be removed by midnight Friday 10 October 2025. More information on sign locations will be available as part of the 2025 candidates handbook.

Election material:

• Must not contain untrue or defamatory statements
• Must not be an imitation of a voting document
• Must include an authorisation statement of the name of the person authorising on every item of campaign material
• You must include a promoter statement on social media pages

Council resources are not permitted to be used for campaigning purposes.

Council social media channels cannot be used for electioneering by candidates or members of the public – are constantly monitored and strictly enforced.

Any post - positive or negative - made by any individual specifically relating to their own or someone else's nomination, intention to run for Council or election campaign, will be removed.

Council’s social media channels will remain neutral. Council will promote elections and the importance of voting but will not associate these posts with any candidates.

Council’s social media channels will unlike / unfollow all candidate social media channels.

Candidates must not link their own social media channels (if they are used for campaigning purposes) to the Council’s social media channels, and must ensure that they have the appropriate authorisation.

Council’s social media posts and campaigning – how does it work?

• No posting on Council pages / accounts
• No comments / replies on Council pages
• No mentions with a tag (e.g. @kaikouradc)
• No picture tagging
• No rating or reviewing Council pages or posts
• Yes, you can take a council post and send to your audience, with comments

The Council will publish information requested by candidates in the lead-up to the Local Body Elections. This allows Council information to be available to all candidates on an equal basis.