We’re reviewing the rules for election signs in our Signs and Use of Public Places Bylaw. These proposed changes are about striking the right balance. We want candidates to be able to promote themselves and for the community to take part in elections, while also making sure public spaces stay safe, tidy, and enjoyable for everyone.
Have your say today
Helping voters choose, while managing our public spaces
Elections are an important part of how we choose the people who represent us, both locally and nationally. Being able to see who is standing for election helps voters make informed decisions. Last year’s local body elections reiterated that our current rules aren't easy to navigate, and with an upcoming general election, we want to make them clearer.
Election signs are a key way candidates connect with the public, but if not managed well, they can cause problems. Large or poorly placed signs can clutter public spaces, create safety risks, distract drivers, and affect the look of our neighbourhoods. That’s why we have rules to guide where signs can go, how big they can be, what they’re made of, and what’s suitable in different areas.
Clearer rules for candidates and the community
During the 2025 local elections, it became clear that some of the current rules aren’t as clear or effective as they could be. In some cases, candidates wanted to use modern advertising methods like digital billboards, but the bylaw didn’t allow for this.
There’s also some complexity around how the bylaw works alongside national laws and the District Plan. This can make it difficult to know which rules apply in certain situations.
What we’re proposing to change
To address these issues, we’re proposing a small number of targeted updates to the bylaw.
These changes are designed to reflect current advertising practices to allow election advertising on illuminated and digital signs, and to ensure public spaces are managed appropriately during election periods.
We’re proposing to:
- Allow election advertising on commercial billboards, including digital and illuminated signs, provided they meet District Plan requirements.
- Allow larger election signs (up to 3m²) in residential areas for general elections, but keep smaller signs (up to 0.6m²) for local elections.
- In some non-residential areas, the District Plan already allows things like large advertising signs or temporary signage. In other cases, people may already have resource consent for different types of signs. The proposed rules are designed to align with what’s already allowed or approved.
- Remove the rules relating to "sign parks." The sign parks are no longer operating, so these rules are not required anymore. We're also being more specific about not allowing election signs in our public places.
- Clarify how the bylaw works alongside the District Plan and national electoral legislation and regulation
We are aiming to review the rest of the Signs and Use of Public Places Bylaw later in the year.
We’ve prepared a Statement of Proposal that explains the proposed changes in more depth, including the different options we considered.
Read the full statement of proposal(PDF, 1MB)
Have your say by 4pm, 11 May 2026
We want to hear what you think about our proposed changes. Let us know what you think by filling out our submission form below. Please indicate on the submission form whether you’d like to speak to your submission in person at a hearing.
Click here to view form.
If you’d prefer a printed copy of the Statement of Proposal or submission form, you can pick one up from our Customer Service Centre, or your local community library or contact us and we can send one to you.