Stand for Horizons Regional Council

Nominations open 4 July 2025 and close at noon on 1 August 2025

Thinking about standing for Horizons Regional Council? Great! Our democratic system relies on people willing to stand up and represent their communities. Every candidate, regardless of if they are successful or not in seeking election, is an important part of that system.

All candidates must be citizens of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Nomination involves the following:
  • Completing an official nomination form and sending it to Horizons’ electoral officer.
  • A nomination must be made by two people. Candidates cannot nominate themselves, and those who do the nominating must be 18 years or older and enrolled to vote in the area the candidate is standing.
  • Candidates must consent to being nominated.
  • A $200 deposit must be paid.

A detailed candidate handbook will be available closer to nominations opening. We will also update this webpage as and when we have more information to provide.
 

Elections 2025

For the 2025 elections council will be made up of 14 elected members. There will be 12 councillors for the general constituencies of Horowhenua, Manawatū-Rangitīkei, Palmerston North, Ruapehu, Tararua, and Whanganui. There will be two councillors for the Māori constituencies: Raki Māori (northern constituency) and Tonga Māori (southern constituency). Collectively, these councillors will decide on suitable plans and policies for the region. Our Executive Management Team then decides how to implement these plans and policies effectively.

As a councillor for Horizons Regional Council, you will work to actively involve yourself in your community to determine your community's needs, issues, and desires. This could be in the form of workshops, community events, meetings, site visits, openings or plantings. You will take these needs, issues and desires to the council table, where you will advocate for decisions made for the benefit of the region. 

The Horizons Region extends over 22,200km2 - from Ruapehu in the north and Horowhenua in the south, to Whanganui in the west and Tararua in the east. It’s a landscape as vast and varied as the ~251,000 people who call it home. At Horizons Regional Council we work hard to fulfill our vision:

Tō mātou whenua ora - mauri wai, mauri whenua, mauri ora | Our region - a healthy environment where people are thriving. 

Your city or district council is responsible for community services in your area, such as road maintenance, libraries, determining land use and subdivisions. Horizons' responsibilities include managing the region's natural resources, leading regional land transport planning, contracting passenger transport services and coordinating our region's response to natural disasters. Some of our activities span several city and district council boundary lines and our jurisdiction extends 12 nautical miles out to sea. As a result we work closely with these councils and other agencies on some issues to ensure they are managed to benefit the entire region.

CONSTITUENCY NAME NUMBER OF COUNCILLORS
Raki Māori 1
Tonga Māori 1
Ruapehu 1
Whanganui 2
Manawatū/Rangitīkei 2
Palmerston North 4
Horowhenua 2
Tararua 1

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