2025 Nelson City Council election

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The 2025 Nelson City Council election was a local election held from 9 September to 11 October in Nelson, New Zealand, as part of that year's territorial authority elections and other local elections held nation-wide.

Quick facts Candidate, Affiliation ...
2025 Nelson City Council election
← 2022
11 October 2025
2028 →
Mayoral election
 
Candidate Nick Smith Aaron Stallard
Affiliation Independent Independent
Primary vote 10,957 6,898
Percentage 58.32% 36.71%
Mayor before election

Nick Smith
Independent

 Elected mayor

Nick Smith
Independent

Council election
12 seats on the Nelson City Council
7 seats needed for a majority
Party Seats +/–
Independent 11 +2
Labour 1 +1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
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Voters elected the mayor of Nelson and 12 city councillors for the 2025–2028 term of the Nelson City Council. Postal voting and the single transferable voting system were used in two four-seat wards, an at-large three-seat contest and two single-winner contests (for mayor and Maori member).

Incumbent mayor Nick Smith won re-election to a second term.

The council introduced a Māori ward at the 2022 election; in a referendum on its future held at this election (as part of a nation-wide series of referendums) voters elected to keep the Māori ward.

Key dates

  • 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates opened
  • 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates closed at 12 pm
  • 9 September 2025: Voting documents were posted and voting opened
  • 11 October 2025: Voting closed at 12 pm and progress/preliminary results were published
  • 16–19 October 2025: Final results were declared.[1]

Background

Positions up for election

Voters in the city elected the mayor of Nelson and 12 city councillors in 4 separate contests (three in wards and one at-large).

Campaign

List of candidates

Incumbents not seeking re-election

Mayor

More information Candidate, Photo ...
Candidate[5] Photo Affiliation[a] Notes
Richard Osmaston Money Free Party New Zealand Previously ran for the mayoralties of Westland, Grey, Buller, Marlborough, Nelson, and Tasman in 2022.[7][8] Concurrently ran for the mayoralties of four other councils: Tasman, Buller, Grey and Westland.[9]
Nick Smith Independent Incumbent mayor since 2022[10][2][8]
Aaron Stallard Independent Incumbent councillor since 2022.[11][2] Also ran for re-election as a councillor in the at-large ward.[12][8]
John Wakelin Lower Rates Previously ran for the mayoralty in 2019 and 2022[13][8]
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Councillors

Whakatū Māori ward

Whakatū Māori ward returned one councillor to the city council.[14]

More information Candidate, Affiliation ...
Candidate[5] Affiliation[a] Notes
Kahu Paki Paki None Incumbent councillor[2]
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Central ward

The Central ward returned four councillors to the city council.[14]

More information Candidate, Photo ...
Candidate[5] Photo Affiliation[a] Notes
Matty Anderson Independent Incumbent councillor[2]
Lisa Austin Let's Be Ready for Tomorrow – Today [15]
Lenny Blake None
Jackie Galland None
James Hodgson Independent Incumbent councillor[2]
Anton Hyman None
Marie Lindaya Weaving a Stronger Nelson for 2025
Sand McDougall Independent
David North None
Steph Phillips Independent
Pete Rainey Independent Incumbent councillor[2]
Tilman Ward Independent
Mike Ward None Previously ran for council in 2022[16]
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Stoke-Tāhunanui ward

The Stoke-Tāhunanui ward returned four councillors to the city council.[14]

More information Candidate, Photo ...
Candidate[5] Photo Affiliation[a] Notes
Trudie Brand None Incumbent councillor[2]
Guy Coulson None Scientist (air quality)[17]
Mel Courtney Independent Incumbent councillor[2]
Sarah Kerby Labour [18]
Paul Lacy None
Mike Nicholls Independent
Valmai Palatchie Independent [19]
Dan Robinson Independent
Campbell Rollo Independent Incumbent councillor[2]
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At-large ward

Three councillors were elected at-large to the city council.[14]

More information Candidate, Photo ...
Candidate[5] Photo Affiliation[a] Notes
Chris Baillie Independent Former ACT MP (2020–2023)[20]
Anne Michele Dickinson None
Susa Guhl Independent
Jeremy Matthews None
Keith Palmer None
Nigel Skeggs Independent
Tim Skinner None Incumbent councillor[2]
Aaron Stallard Independent Incumbent councillor since 2022. Also ran for mayor.[12]
Graeme K Tyree Independent
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Results

Part of this section is transcluded from Results of the 2025 New Zealand territorial authority elections in the Upper South Island § Nelson City Council. (edit | history)

Overall turnout for the election was 48.14%, with 18,789 voting papers returned.[21]

With the final results, the following candidates were declared elected:[21]

Mayor

Incumbent mayor Nick Smith won re-election to a second-term.[22]

More information Affiliation, Candidate ...
2025 Nelson mayoral election[23]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote %
Independent Nick Smith† 10,957 58.32
Independent Aaron Stallard 6,898 36.71
Independent John Wakelin 308 1.64
Money Free Party Richard Osmaston 288 1.53
Quota 9,226 49.10
Informal 23 0.12
Blank 315 1.68
Turnout 18,789
Registered
Independent hold on 1st iteration
† incumbent
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Council

At-large ward

More information Affiliation, Candidate ...
At-large ward[23]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote % Iteration vote[b]
Independent Aaron Stallard 5,633 29.98 #1 5,633
Independent Tim Skinner† 3,529 18.78 #7 4,600
Independent Nigel Skeggs 2,388 12.71 #8 4,271
Independent Chris Baillie 2,360 12.56 #8 3,465
Independent Susa Guhl 1,344 7.15 #6 2,250
Independent Anne Dickinson 1,000 5.32 #5 1,366
Independent Jeremy Matthews 800 4.26 #4 890
Independent Keith Palmer 447 2.38 #3 529
Independent Graeme Tyree 251 1.34 #2 338
Quota 4,438 23.62 #8 4,042
Informal 331 1.76
Blank 706 3.76
Turnout 18,789
Registered
Independent gain from Independent Green on 1st iteration
Independent hold on 7th iteration
Independent gain from Independent Green on 8th iteration
† incumbent
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Central general ward

More information Affiliation, Candidate ...
Central general ward[23]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote % Iteration vote[b]
Independent Lisa Austin 1,767 19.07 #1 1,767
Independent Pete Rainey† 1,486 16.04 #9 1,768
Independent James Hodgson† 1,137 12.27 #12 1,688
Independent Matty Anderson† 1,215 13.12 #13 1,711
Independent Steph Phillips 1,001 10.81 #13 1,487
Independent Marie Lindaya 477 5.15 #11 650
Independent David North 435 4.70 #10 571
Independent Mike Ward 484 5.22 #8 518
Independent Lenny Blake 340 3.67 #6 387
Independent Tilman Walk 158 1.71 #5 170
Independent Sand McDougall 124 1.34 #4 132
Independent Jackie Galland 121 1.31 #3 122
Independent Anton Hyman 28 0.30 #1 28
Quota 1,755 18.94 #13 1,661
Informal 176 1.90
Blank 315 3.40
Turnout 9,264
Registered
Independent gain from Independent on 1st iteration
Independent hold on 9th iteration
Independent gain from Nelson Citizens Alliance on 12th iteration[c]
Independent hold on 13th iteration
† incumbent
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Stoke-Tāhunanui general ward

More information Affiliation, Candidate ...
Stoke-Tāhunanui general ward[23]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote % Iteration vote[b]
Independent Campbell Rollo† 1,972 21.78 #1 1,972
Independent Mel Courtney† 1,941 21.44 #1 1,941
Labour Sarah Kerby 1,445 15.96 #7 1,829
Independent Trudie Brand† 1,045 11.54 #10 1,624
Independent Valmai Palatchie 598 6.60 #10 1,093
Independent Mike Nicholls 586 6.47 #9 830
Independent Guy Coulson 487 5.38 #6 545
Independent Dan Robinson 262 2.89 #5 330
Independent Paul Lacy 249 2.75 #4 278
Quota 1,717 18.96 #10 1,614
Informal 185 2.04
Blank 285 3.15
Turnout 9,055
Registered
Independent hold on 1st iteration
Independent hold on 1st iteration
Labour gain from Independent on 7th iteration
Independent hold on 10th iteration
† incumbent
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Whakatu Māori ward

More information Affiliation, Candidate ...
Whakatū Māori ward[23]
Affiliation Candidate Primary vote
Independent Kahu Paki Paki† Unopposed
Registered
Independent hold
† incumbent
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Māori ward poll

More information Choice, Votes ...
ChoiceVotes%
I vote to KEEP Māori wards10,16857.26
I vote to REMOVE Māori wards7,59042.74
Total17,758100.00
Valid votes17,75894.51
Invalid/blank votes1,0315.49
Total votes18,789100.00
Source: [21]
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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    A candidate may leave their affiliation blank, run as an independent, or run with an affiliation to an organisation, local body ticket or political party. Nelson City Council does not allow whānau, hapū, or iwi details to be used for the affiliation.[6]
  2. [b]
    Rounded to nearest whole number
  3. [c]
    Incumbent changed affiliation.

References

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