2025 Wellington City mayoral election

The 2025 Wellington City mayoral election, part of the Wellington local elections in October 2025, will be held to determine who will serve as mayor of Wellington for subsequent three-year term. The election will use the single transferable vote (STV) system.

Key dates

The timeline of electoral events are:^[1]

Friday 4 July – Candidate nominations open, roll opens for public inspection
Friday 1 August – Nominations close at midday, electoral roll closes
Tuesday 9 September – Ballots posted out, voting opens
Saturday 11 October – Voting closes at midday
Saturday 11 October – Preliminary results released
Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 October – Final results declared

Candidates

Declared

Graham Bloxham, former owner of Wellington LIVE media^[2]
Ray Chung, councillor for the Onslow-Western ward since 2022^[3]
Rob Goulden, former city councillor for the Eastern ward (1998-2007)^[4]
Josh Harford, deputy leader (consort) of the Silly Hat Party^[5]
Kelvin Hastie, conservationist^[6]
Andrew Little, former Labour Party leader and cabinet minister^[7]^[8]
Karl Tiefenbacher, businessman^[6]^[9]

Speculated

John Apanowicz, councillor for the Northern ward since 2022^[6]
Diane Calvert, councillor for the Onslow-Western ward since 2016^[10]
Justin Lester, former mayor (2016–19)^[11]

Declined

Jill Day, President of the Labour Party and former deputy mayor^[10]
Fleur Fitzsimons, unionist and former Wellington City Councillor for Southern Ward^[12]
Thomas Nash, regional councillor since 2019 (endorsed Whanau)^[10]
David Parker, former Labour Party deputy leader and cabinet minister^[13]
Luke Pierson, founding member of the Vision for Wellington lobby group^[10]
Nicola Young, councillor for the Lambton ward since 2013 (endorsed Little)^[14]

Withdrawn

Tory Whanau, mayor since 2022 (endorsed Little)^[15]

Opinion polling

Date	Polling organisation	Sample size	Ray Chung	Kelvin Hastie	Tory Whanau	Undecided
January 2025	Curia^[16]	1,000	30	6	18	46

References

^ "Local body elections 2025". Wellington City Council. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
^ Manera, Ethan (29 January 2025). "Wellington Live owner Graham Bloxham announces mayoral bid, sale of Facebook page". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
^ Hunt, Tom (13 May 2024). "Mayoral candidate will vacate top chair if he gets a dud council". The Post. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
^ Campbell, Georgina (28 February 2025). "Who's running for the mayoralty in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch?". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
^ "News - Silly Hat Party". sillyhatparty.org.nz. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hunt, Tom (28 December 2024). "Who wants to be Wellington's next mayor?". The Post. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
^ Smith, Sam (8 April 2025). "Former Labour leader hints at Wellington mayoral run". Stuff. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
^ "Andrew Little to run for Wellington mayor". 1News. Archived from the original on 15 April 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
^ "Karl Tiefenbacher standing as independent candidate for mayoralty". Retrieved 31 March 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Manera, Ethan (17 March 2025). "Labour Party extends nominations for Wellington Mayoral candidate". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
^ James, Nick (23 January 2025). "Former Wellington mayor Justin Lester not ruling out running again". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
^ Hunt, Tom (31 December 2024). "Labour on the hunt for a Wellington mayor ... and a new contender from National?". The Post. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
^ Argue, Mary (9 April 2025). "Parker not interested in local govt role". Otago Daily Times.
^ Hunt, Tom (30 April 2025). "Andrew Little shores up political support in Wellington mayoral bid". The Post. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
^ Dexter, Giles (29 April 2025). "Tory Whanau quits Wellington mayoral race". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 29 April 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
^ Manera, Ethan (15 April 2025). "Wellington mayoral polling: Full Curia numbers released, Ray Chung ahead of Tory Whanau". The New Zealand Herald.

[1] "Local body elections 2025". Wellington City Council. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.

[2] Manera, Ethan (29 January 2025). "Wellington Live owner Graham Bloxham announces mayoral bid, sale of Facebook page". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2025.

[top_chair-3] Hunt, Tom (13 May 2024). "Mayoral candidate will vacate top chair if he gets a dud council". The Post. Retrieved 24 December 2024.

[4] Campbell, Georgina (28 February 2025). "Who's running for the mayoralty in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch?". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 February 2025.

[5] "News - Silly Hat Party". sillyhatparty.org.nz. Retrieved 21 April 2025.

[next_mayor-6] Hunt, Tom (28 December 2024). "Who wants to be Wellington's next mayor?". The Post. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

[7] Smith, Sam (8 April 2025). "Former Labour leader hints at Wellington mayoral run". Stuff. Retrieved 8 April 2025.

[8] "Andrew Little to run for Wellington mayor". 1News. Archived from the original on 15 April 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2025.

[9] "Karl Tiefenbacher standing as independent candidate for mayoralty". Retrieved 31 March 2025.

[Labour_extends-10] Manera, Ethan (17 March 2025). "Labour Party extends nominations for Wellington Mayoral candidate". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 March 2025.

[11] James, Nick (23 January 2025). "Former Wellington mayor Justin Lester not ruling out running again". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 24 January 2025.

[the_hunt-12] Hunt, Tom (31 December 2024). "Labour on the hunt for a Wellington mayor ... and a new contender from National?". The Post. Retrieved 31 March 2025.

[13] Argue, Mary (9 April 2025). "Parker not interested in local govt role". Otago Daily Times.

[shores_up-14] Hunt, Tom (30 April 2025). "Andrew Little shores up political support in Wellington mayoral bid". The Post. Retrieved 1 May 2025.

[15] Dexter, Giles (29 April 2025). "Tory Whanau quits Wellington mayoral race". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 29 April 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2025.

[16] Manera, Ethan (15 April 2025). "Wellington mayoral polling: Full Curia numbers released, Ray Chung ahead of Tory Whanau". The New Zealand Herald.

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