A ballot box in the 2023 general election. Photo: Marika Khabazi / RNZ
This article's headline originally stated votes had doubled. This has been amended.
Voting numbers so far for this month's local body elections are significantly higher than what they were in the lead up to the last elections.
Figures as at 1 October 2025 - 10 days before election day - showed that 622,936 votes had been returned to date, representing just over 18 percent of eligible votes.
Comparatively, 10 days before the 2022 local elections, 353,005 votes were returned, representing just over 10 percent of eligible votes.
"Based on the figures, this year's local elections have the potential to better the 40 percent voter turnout in 2022," said Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) interim chief executive Scott Necklen.
He said almost all councils were tracking ahead, but particularly rural councils which had seen almost a quarter of eligible voters cast their votes.
"This is encouraging as we know the bulk of voting paper returns - up to 70 percent of the total number for some councils - typically happens in the last seven days before an election.
Necklen said LGNZ believed the extra week of voting this year, alongside more orange ballot boxes in place compared to previous elections had played a key role in the numbers - along with increased coverage of the policy.nz website.
"The strong level of public interest in issues such as rates rises and Māori wards has likely also encouraged more people to have their say," he said.
But while Necklen was encouraged by the voter turnout so far, he urged people who hadn't voted yet not to forget to do so.
"We need to keep up the momentum. Council decisions impact all parts of our lives, from roads, rubbish, footpaths and lighting to the supply of freshwater, resource management, community facilities and public spaces. This is your chance to influence those decisions."
Voters have until 7 October to post their voting papers, or they could drop them into a council ballot box by midday 11 October.
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