Palmerston North City Council nominations are now open

Published on 04 July 2025

If you've got ideas to make Palmy even better or want to speak up for your community, now’s your chance.

Nominations are officially open for the 2025 Local Elections. If you're keen to stand for mayor or councillor at Palmerston North City Council, make sure you get your nomination in by 12pm, Friday 1 August.

Deputy Electoral Officer Hannah White says there are plenty of reasons to consider standing – and no one-size-fits-all candidate.

“Whether you’d like to see Council do more, less, or take a different direction, now’s the time to step up. We need 15 councillors and a mayor to help lead the city for the next three years. If you feel your perspective isn’t being heard, or could be stronger, this is your opportunity to bring it to the table.”

For this election, two councillors will be elected for the Te Pūao Māori Ward, and 13 for the Te Hirawanui General Ward. The mayor is elected by all voters across the city.

You don’t need formal qualifications to stand; we’re looking for people with passion, commitment, and a drive to serve.

To stand, you must:

• Be a New Zealand citizen
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be on the Palmerston North electoral roll
• Be nominated by two people living in Palmerston North, who are on the electoral roll for the ward you’d like to stand in
• Pay a $200 nomination deposit

Mrs White says the role of an elected member comes with real responsibility.

“You’ll help set the direction for Palmy, make key decisions on projects, budgets, policies and more. Councillors usually commit around 20 hours a week, while the mayor’s role is full-time. Current councillors earn $56,759 per year, with additional pay for extra responsibilities. The Mayor’s salary is $166,246. These are set by the Remuneration Authority and not Council.”

You can pick up nomination forms from our Customer Service Centre at 32 The Square, request forms by calling 0800 922 822, or fill them out online.