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Information for candidates

Information and resources for candidates.

The Akaroa Community Board by-election for the Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board will be held on 12 June 2026.

Voting is now underway, with voting documents to be delivered to all enrolled electors by 25 May.

Completed voting documents can be returned by post, or to orange vote bins in the community.

Find out more or contact the elections team at 03 941 8581 or elections@ccc.govt.nz.

2025 triennial elections

The Council elections were on Saturday 11 October 2025. Voting opened on Tuesday 9 September and closed at noon on Saturday 11 October 2025.

The 2025 Pre-election Report provides an overview of the strategic, financial, and governance context that will shape Council decision-making over the next three years. 

Read the report [PDF, 13 MB].

Developed to support informed participation in the democratic process, the report provides key insights for both prospective candidates and voters.  

It outlines organisational priorities, financial performance and forecasts, major capital projects, and the key challenges facing Christchurch and Banks Peninsula. Read more on Newsline(external link)

Candidate resources for 2025. Details relate to the 2025 elections, but other information remains relevant:


2025 elected member protocols and Taituara pre-election communications guides:

Information for candidates is available on the Vote Local(external link) website. There is also useful candidate guidance available from:

If you have any questions, please contact the electoral officer on 021 498 517 or the deputy electoral officer on 03 941 8581, or via email at elections@ccc.govt.nz.

Find out about being a Christchurch City Council elected member.

Local Government New Zealand has released a series of free online learning experiences, so you can understand how a council works along with the reality of being an elected member.

The information includes animations and interactive modules covering the need-to-knows.

Potential candidates can learn about the structure of local government and roles within a council, how councils are funded, and what the role and life of an elected member looks like.

View the modules.(external link)

The Christchurch City Council candidate information session was held on 5 June.

At the session, our Chief Executive and Electoral Officer covered the elections process, the Council and representing your community. 

The presentation is available online [PDF, 2.2 MB] and you can watch the session below.

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

Take a look at the 2025 candidate handbook [PDF, 20 MB] and the 2025 candidate information sheet [PDF, 145 KB].

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 campaigning within the rules can start at any time but should cease by the close of voting.

Election signage is permitted within certain rules from nine weeks from the start of an election or by-election. Signage must be removed by midnight the day before election day.

These rules are set by the Christchurch District Plan, Council and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi bylaws. Please read the 2025 elections signage information fact sheet to ensure you are complying with the rules. 

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

All candidates in elections and by-elections held under the provisions of the Local Electoral Act 2001 must file a return of electoral donations and expenses.

A candidate is required to keep a record of all electoral donations given and campaign election expenses and must submit a return to the electoral officer within 55 days of the election result being declared. This must be submitted on the return of donations and expenses for that election. 

Once the electoral expenses and electoral donations return forms and supporting documents are sent back to the council they become public documents and will be placed on the council’s website and can be inspected by any person for the next seven years.

Campaign expenditure

Candidates have campaign expenditure limits and are required to file a return to the electoral officer after the election.

Section 111 of the Local Electoral Act 2001(external link) details the maximum amount of electoral expenses. The Candidate Information Booklet includes a summary from section 111(1) of the Act of the maximum amount of electoral expenses (inclusive of goods and services tax) that a candidate must not exceed.

Campaign expenditure is all expenses relating to the campaign from the period three months before an election day, plus any apportioned costs of any election campaigning that started before the three-month period. Refer to section 112 of the Local Electoral Act 2001(external link).

If a candidate is standing for more than one position (for example mayor and councillor), then the higher limit applies (not both combined).

The relevant sections of the Local Electoral Act 2001 on election expenses are available in the Candidate Information Booklet. Please note:

  1. Candidates are required to keep evidence of any election expenses for amounts exceeding $200.
  2. All candidates must submit a return of election expenses and donations form even if no expenses have been incurred or donations received.
  3. The $200 nomination deposit fee is not an electoral expense.

Electoral donations

Candidates should note the following with regard to electoral donations:

An electoral donation is a donation of money, goods or services that is made for use in a candidate’s electoral campaign (section 103A of the Local Electoral Act). An electoral donation given at any time, including in advance of a candidate submitting a nomination, must be recorded. 

Electoral donations and contributions to donations of more than $1500, including GST, are required to be declared in the candidate’s return of electoral expenses and donations. A series of donations made by one person that adds up to more than $1500 must also be declared.

An electoral donation includes:

  • Where a candidate is provided with goods or services free of charge that have a reasonable market value greater than $300.
  • Where a candidate is provided with discounted goods or services and the reasonable market value of the goods or services is greater than $300, the difference between the contract or agreed price and the reasonable market value of those goods and services is a donation.
  • Where a candidate sells over-valued goods or services, the difference between the price paid and the reasonable market value is a donation, for example, a funding-raising auction or dinner.

Donations to candidates can be made up of pooled funds contributed by more than one person (referred to as donations funded from contributions). These types of donations include, for example, campaign donations made through a trust, or where there is a fundraising collection for a candidate’s campaign.

Candidates must disclose, in their return of electoral donations and expenses, whether a donation is funded from contributions and the name and address of any individuals contributing amounts in excess of $1500. Anonymous donations made through contributions are limited to a maximum of $1500 per donation.

Candidates who receive an anonymous donation of more than $1500 are required to pay the amount over $1500 to the electoral officer (for payment into the Council’s general account).

The electoral officer’s role is to bring these matters to the attention of all candidates.

Christchurch and Banks Peninsula have 16 wards and six community boards, each representing a different area around the city.

Map of ward and community board areas(external link).

Council publishes 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.

26 September 2025

19 September 2025:

12 September 2025:

8 August 2025:

1 August 2025:

Related news

Results in for Akaroa by-election

Jason Crew has been elected the Akaroa representative on the Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board.

12 Jun 2026

Final chance to vote in Akaroa by-election

Electors in Akaroa have until 12 noon on Friday 12 June to cast their vote for one of the two candidates contesting a vacant position on Te Pataka ō Rakaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board.

8 Jun 2026

Akaroa Community Board by-election to be held

A by-election to fill an extraordinary vacancy for the Akaroa Community Subdivision on the Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board will be held in June.

5 Mar 2026

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