We will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system for the 2028 and 2031 local government elections.
Local elections are conducted using the First Past the Post (FPP) or Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral systems.
On 2 September 2026 Council voted to retain STV as the electoral system for the next local elections.
Do you think the electoral system should change back to FPP? Tauranga City Council electors have the right to demand a poll on the electoral system to be used at the next two triennial general elections (2028 and 2031).
Notice of the right to demand a poll on the electoral system
Single Transferable Vote system (STV)
We used the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system for the 2019 and 2024 local government elections.
Under this voting system, you rank your preferred candidates using numbers as many or as few as you wish, instead of putting a tick beside their name.
To learn more about the STV system, watch the video below:
More information on STV:
This is the same system we used in the 2019 city-wide election.
With STV, voters rank candidates with numbers instead of putting a tick beside their name.
It’s easy
- Rank your preferred candidates 1, 2, 3, 4, etc, as many or as few as you wish
- Place your vote in the prepaid envelope
- Drop it into the nearest post box
You can learn more about STV at:
Single Transferable Vote
STV Information - Department of Internal Affairs
FPP
Tauranga City Council formerly used the first-past-the-post (FPP) voting system.
Under FPP, the voter places a tick in the box beside the name of their preferred candidate(s), and the candidate(s) with the most votes are elected.
More about FPP - Department of Internal Affairs