Elections
The next Bay of Plenty Regional Council local election will be held on Saturday 11 October 2025.
Local body elections 2025
Local elections are held every three years. In the Bay of Plenty, residents and other ratepayers have the chance to vote for 14 Bay of Plenty Regional Councillors representing Tauranga, Western Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Whakatāne, Kawerau, Ōpōtiki and a small part of Taupō.
Confirmed candidates, profiles and videos
Names, contact details, videos and profiles of confirmed candidates are available here.
Information for voters
Find out where you can vote, how to enrol and how to cast a special vote.
Information for Candidates
Find out more about the elections process, read the candidates handbook and learn about the regulations for campaigning.
Meet the candidate events
Events
Keep an eye on our list of known Meet the Candidate events involving Regional Council candidates to find out when you can learn more about those standing in this year's elections.
If you have an event involving Regional Council candidates that you'd like added to this page, please email us at Elections2025@boprc.govt.nz
Apply for event funding
Are you thinking about hosting a meet the candidates event? If your community organisation is looking to organise a Meet the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Candidates meeting, the Regional Council may contribute to the actual and reasonable cost of holding the meeting, up to a maximum of $500 per event, provided an application has been received by the community group and approved prior to the event.
Public notice of election
- Notice of 2025 Triennial Local Authority Elections and Poll
-
Public Notice – Election 2025 (further notice of Election) Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Key dates
Candidate nominations open Friday 4 July 2025
Roll opens for public inspection
Candidate nominations close 12noon. Friday 1 August 2025
Roll closes
Voting documents posted out Tuesday 9 September 2025
Voting opens
Voting closes at 12noon Saturday 11 October 2025
Preliminary results available
Declaration of final results Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 October 2025
Pre-election Report 2025
This pre-election report gives voters and candidates a snapshot of Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s work programme and its finances.
Māori Constituency Referendum/Polls
The Regional Council is not required to hold a poll as part of these elections.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council introduced its Māori constituencies in 2001, under the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (Māori Constituency Empowering) Act 2001, and they became operational in 2004.
Maori Constituency Legislation changes in 2022 require councils that introduced Māori wards or constituencies after 2020 to hold a binding poll to determine whether those wards or constituencies will continue beyond 2028. Where required, the poll will be included as part of the 2025 voting paper.
Previous elections information
View information about previous elections here, including results and candidate expense and donations reporting.
BOPRC Representation Review 2024
Every six years councils must review how communities are represented in the make-up of their council. A representation review looks at the structures in place, including the number of constituencies (electoral areas) and their boundaries, the number of elected members (councillors) representing each constituency and the names of our General and Māori constituencies.
The 2024 Representation Review is now complete and has resulted in Council having 14 Councillors representing 4 general constituencies (Western Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, Rotorua and Eastern Bay of Plenty) and 3 Māori constituencies (Mauao, Ōkurei and Kōhi).
To read the Local Government Commissions determination please visit Bay-of-Plenty-Regional-Council-Determination-2024.pdf
For general information about the project please visit Participate BOPRC.