Note: This database contains data from the 2023, 2022 and 2017 general elections, the 2025 local government election and is gradually being backfilled with other election data.
Contested 3 races — 0 elected 2 not elected 1 pending
In Aotearoa’s second biggest inland city, 43 people are running for 16 council positions, making for a competitive race. Water, road upgrades and consultants are on the agenda – and an STV election means every vote matters.
"Of the 42 people standing for election, 30 who answered the Stronger Together Keep Māori Wards survey said they would vote in favour in the referendum being held alongside the local body elections. Only four said they would vote against, and eight either did not respond or refused to answer. [...] Those who said they would vote to get rid of Māori wards were sitting councillor William Wood and newcomers Hayden Fitzgerald, Glen Williams and Jackie Wheeler. Schmidt described their opposition as “uninformed and out of touch”. Those in favour, in alphabetical order, were: Wajeha Akbaryan, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Melanie Butler, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay, Roly Fitzgerald, Mark Gunning, Nelson Harper, Cameron Jenkins, Lorna Johnson, Eric Judd, Jack Koh, Bonnie Kuru, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Quintin McGregor, Orphée Mickalad, Michael Morris, Tobias Nash, Karen Naylor, Adrian Phillips, Eldhose Poovathumveettil Mathew, Atif Rahim, Caleb Riddick, Zakk Rokkanno, Grant Smith, Michael Strachan, Richard Woolgar and Kaydee Zabelin. All the mayoral candidates said they would vote in favour of retaining Māori wards."
"Manawatū Standard civics reporter Janine Rankin tried to find out how Palmerston North City Council candidates defined the difference and what they would cut to keep rates rises down. There were 25 responses from candidates in the Te Hirawanui general ward."
"Making people pay to use the nearly-completed Te Ahu a Turanga road replacing the closed Manawatū Gorge will be opposed by the Palmerston North City Council. Councillor Lorna Johnson, who seconded Cr Brent Barrett’s call for the council to make a submission to keep the new route free from tolls, said the proposed costs to users would be “highway robbery”. [...] The councillors who supported imposition of a toll were Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Leonie Hapeta and Mark Arnott."
"Palmerston North’s Te Pūao Māori ward is here to stay for the 2025 city council elections. Mayor Grant Smith and 14 councillors voted unanimously in favour of retaining the ward on Wednesday. The vote was forced by a recent law change."
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