2023 By-election: Learn more.

The next Council elections are in 2025.

Voting System for 2025

Each term Council can chose what election method it wishes to use – if it changes then the new system must be used for the next two elections.

We can chose between First Past the Post (the current system) and Single Transferable Vote.

Council is now asking for feedback on what voting system you would like to use for the 2025 elections?

Councillors regularly review the way the Council is elected. This survey is your chance to help your councillors select the voting system you want.

We want to know whether the voting system we use to elect the Mayor, councillors and community boards is the best one for Invercargill. There is a choice between the system we already use, First Past the Post (FPP), or Single Transferable Voting (STV). If we change the voting system, that will be the one used for the next two Council elections in 2025 and 2028.

Head to our Lets Talk page to tell us what you think.

We will also be talking about this at the Long Term Plan Pre-engagement sessions – drop in and have a chat to find out more.

The decision “Which voting system?” will be made by Councillors at the Council meeting in July.  This is a public meeting which will be livestreamed.

First Past the Post (FPP)

This is the voting system we currently use to elect the Mayor, councillors and community boards. It is easy to understand and most people in Aotearoa New Zealand are familiar with it. Voters place a tick beside the name of the person they wish to vote for and the candidate with the most votes wins. Where there are several positions to be filled, you get one vote for each vacancy. Again, candidates with the most votes are elected.

Single Transferable Voting (STV)

STV is a proportional voting system used in parts of Australia, United States and Ireland. It is also sometimes used to elect board members to companies like Fonterra and is used by 15 other Councils in New Zealand. Instead of ticking the candidate you want, you rank candidates in order of preference – “1” beside your most preferred candidate, “2” beside the second-most preferred, and so on. To be elected, a candidate must get a certain number of votes. This is known as the ‘quota’ and is worked out after voting has closed. The quota is calculated by dividing the total number of votes received by the number of vacancies, plus one vote. To be elected, a candidate must get enough votes to reach the quota. If there is more than one vacancy, votes received over the quota are partially transferred to other candidates in order of voter preference. Those with fewest votes are eliminated and their votes are partially transferred to other candidates. This process repeats until enough candidates reach the quota and all vacancies are filled.

You can also find more information at:

• All about STV and FPP Local Government [localcouncils.govt.nz]
• Single Transferable Vote [stv.govt.nz]
• Voting made easy [electionz.com]

 

Looking to enrol to vote?

The Electoral Commission looks after enrolments for voting.

If you are uncertain if you are enrolled, have recently turned 18, become a Resident or moved you may want to check if you are enrolled and get enrolled!

• Check your enrolment details [vote.nz]
• Enrol online to vote [vote.nz]

You can also ring the Electoral Commission, anytime, on 0800 36 76 56Or- you can contact us and we can post out a form for you to fill in and return to the Electoral Commission- it is even free postage.

Once you have done this you can complete a Special Vote with us.

If you need help contacting the Electoral Commission get in touch with our Elections team.

 

Electoral Boundaries

Trying to work out what you can vote in for these elections- with four Councils, Community Boards and Licensing Trusts it can be confusing.

Use our interactive map to learn what you will be voting for in these upcoming elections.

Electoral Boundaries Map

 

This works for any address in Southland so if you live Invercargill and own property in Riverton you can see what you can vote in both Invercargill and Riverton, and if you live in Winton and own property in Gore you can see what you can vote for in Winton and Gore.

 

Electoral Officer Contact Details

The Electoral Officer is responsible for the conduct of the election.