Every three years, the people of Christchurch get to vote for a Mayor, a ward councillor, and community board members to represent our diverse communities.
Local body elections are taking place in 2025. Voting is open from Tuesday 9 September 2025 to 12noon Saturday 11 October 2025.
Find out more about the elections:
Electoral rolls
A full set of local body electoral rolls are held at each of our libraries (except the Mobile Library). Information about getting onto the electoral roll is on the Vote NZ website.
Voting
Voting documents will be delivered to enrolled electors from Tuesday 9 September. They will arrive between 9 September and 22 September. Electors at the same address may get their voting documents on different days. Each enrolled voter will receive an information and candidate profiles booklet, a voting paper and a pre-paid return envelope. Voters will be able to choose a Mayoral candidate, a ward councillor and community board members and Environment Canterbury councillors in their ward.
Find out about the candidates
Return of voting papers
Completed voting papers can be returned via post or in person at any Christchurch City Libraries branch during normal opening hours. Voting papers can also be returned to Christchurch City Council Civic Offices, 53 Hereford Street, customer service hubs, recreation and sports centres and other locations in the community including some supermarkets.
Find out more about voting and special voting
Special voting
Special voting documents can be issued to electors during normal opening hours Monday to Friday at a number of council customer service hubs from Tuesday 9 September until Friday 10 October 2025.
Some sites will also be open on Saturday 4 October and Sunday 5 October 2025 from 10am to 4pm for the purpose of issuing special voting documents.
- Beckenham Customer Service Hub - Pioneer Recreation and Sport Centre, 75 Lyttelton Street, Somerfield.
- Linwood Customer Service Hub - Eastgate Mall 1st Floor, Cnr Buckleys Road and Linwood Ave, Linwood.
- Matatiki Hornby Customer Service Hub - 25 Smarts Road, Hornby.
- Shirley Customer Service Hub - 36 Marshland Road, Shirley.
Some sites will be open on election day, Saturday 11 October for the purpose of issuing special voting documents up until voting closes at noon.
- Te Hononga Civic Offices - 53 Hereford Street, Christchurch Central - 9am to noon.
- Beckenham Customer Service Hub - Pioneer Recreation and Sport Centre, 75 Lyttelton Street, Somerfield - 10am to noon.
- Linwood Customer Service Hub - Eastgate Mall 1st Floor, Cnr Buckleys Road and Linwood Ave, Linwood - 10am to noon.
- Matatiki Hornby Customer Service Hub - 25 Smarts Road, Hornby - 10am to noon.
- Shirley Customer Service Hub - 36 Marshland Road, Shirley - 10am to noon.
You can also phone 03 941 8999 or email elections@ccc.govt.nz.
Election Day
- Election day is Saturday 11 October
- Voting closes at 12noon and your vote must be with the Electoral Office or in a Council ballot box by then.
Election results
Results of the Christchurch City Council elections will be available on the Christchurch City Council website.
Christchurch elections
All resident voters and non-resident ratepayer voters whose names appear on the electoral rolls are eligible to vote in their local government elections.
Christchurch City Council
Elections will be held for the following positions:
- Mayor of Christchurch City;
- Christchurch City Councillors (16 councillors in total, with one councillor from each of the 16 wards);
- Members of the Christchurch Community Boards.
The Christchurch City Council election uses the First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system.
Find out more about the elections.
Environment Canterbury (ECan)
Find out about standing as a candidate, enrolling and voting.