The 2025 local elections will take place on 11 October, presenting a valuable opportunity for Property Council members to have their voices heard on the future of their communities. As key contributors to New Zealand’s built environment, our members play a vital role in shaping thriving, well-connected communities. Voting in local elections ensures that your voice is a part of the decisions that guide the future of New Zealand.
Did you know that your business qualifies for a vote outside your residential electorate? You can find out more by reading below and making sure you’re enrolled to vote before 1 August 2025.
Voting as a non-resident ratepayer
Did you know that if your business pays rates in a different electorate from where you live, you may be eligible to vote in that second area under what’s known as the non-resident ratepayer roll. This means you could have a say in more than one electorate – your residential electorate and the one in which your business operates.
To enrol, you must:
- Be a ratepayer for a property used by your business in an electorate different from your home electorate.
- Not reside in the electorate where the business is based.
- Apply to the relevant council directly to join the non-resident ratepayer roll.
If you think you might fit the above criteria, contact the electorate to which your business pays rates to confirm eligibility. They can provide the appropriate enrolment form for ratepayer electors.
Who can vote on behalf of a business?
Eligibility depends on how the property is listed in the council’s rating records:
- Entity name listed: If a company or organisation is named on the rates notice, a member or officer of that entity (who lives outside the relevant electorate) may apply to vote.
- Joint names listed: Only one of the individuals listed may vote, provided they reside outside the electorate.
- Individual name listed: That person may vote as a non-resident ratepayer if they live in a different electorate.
Remember, the deadline to register on the non-resident ratepayer roll is the 1 August 2025. We encourage all members to enrol in the local elections, it’s a powerful chance to have your say on the local issues shaping the property sector, your business, and the communities you help build.
Want to better understand the local issues impacting our sector?
Check out Property Council’s Local Governance Briefing Paper, which outlines key challenges and sector-informed solutions to support thriving, well-planned communities. It’s a useful resource to inform your thinking as we head to the polls.
Author | Katherine Wilson
As Property Council’s Head of Advocacy, Katherine is tasked with leading our advocacy campaigns at both a regional and national level.
Level-headed and engaging, Katherine has both a law degree from Otago University and an arts degree (majoring in politics) from Auckland University. With solid experience as a policy analyst and advisor in Wellington and Auckland, she has extensive networks and solid analytical skills.
Katherine is hugely dedicated, highly intelligent and committed to ensuring the voice of our members is heard at all levels of governance. She’s also relentlessly positive and enjoys a good chat.
Recent submissions
- Submission on the Public Works Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2025
- Submission on Waipā District Council Local Water Done Well
- Submission on Waipā District Council Long Term Plan 2025-34
- Submission on Hamilton City Council’s Local Water Done Well
- Submission to Tauranga City Council on Local Water Done Well