Vote

Council is required to consider its representation arrangements at least every six years to ensure there is effective representation for its communities of interest. This includes the number of councillors, how many people one councillor represents and who gets to vote for them.

At the last review, Council decided that Masterton District Council should have one Māori ward, one General Ward and also some members elected at large (that is, not elected from either of the wards). Each of these covers the whole geographical area of the Masterton District.

If you’re on the unpublished roll, your name will not appear on the printed electoral roll. You need to get in touch with us as your voting papers will not be sent to you in the mail.

If you’re overseas, you can enrol to vote in the local elections if you are a New Zealand citizen who has been in New Zealand within the last 3 years, or you’re a New Zealand permanent resident who has been in New Zealand in the last 12 months.

Make sure you’re correctly enrolled with an overseas postal address to get your voting papers. You can’t download or return voting papers electronically for local elections.

Enrol from overseas

We have a ratepayer roll for people who pay rates on a property but live in another part of the country. In that situation, a person can vote in the area where they live, and the area where they pay rates.

Apply to be a non-resident ratepayer elector.

If you are on the General roll you can vote for the candidates in the General Ward, those standing At Large and the Mayor.

If you are on the Māori roll, you can vote for the candidates in the Māori ward, those standing At Large and the Mayor.

Depending on where you live, you might be able to vote for candidates in the Masterton Community Trust, Masterton Trust Lands Trust or Montfort Trimble Foundation elections.

Those on the Māori roll can also vote for the election of one member for the Greater Wellington Regional Council Te Upoko o te ika a Māui Māori Constituency.

Those on the General Roll can also vote for the election of one member for the Greater Wellington Regional Council Wairarapa General Constituency.

No. All councillors, regardless of the area they are elected to represent, make the same declaration to act in the best interests of the whole of the Masterton District. A resident can ask any councillor for help and are not limited to their ward councillors.

The poll will ask the community whether we should keep Māori wards beyond the 2025-2028 triennium. If the community’s answer is no, then Māori wards will be removed from the 2028 election. If the community’s answer is yes, then Māori wards will remain at least until the 2031 local government election. Please see the Masterton District Council Maori Ward Poll website page for further information.