The 2025 Hutt City Council election was a local election held from 9 September to 11 October in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, as part of that year's territorial authority elections and other local elections held nation-wide.
Voters elected the mayor of Lower Hutt, 13 city councillors, and other local representatives for the 2025âÂÂ2028 term of the Hutt City Council. Postal voting and the first-past-the-post voting system were used.
Ken Laban was elected as mayor, becoming New Zealand's first Pasifika mayor.
The council voted to introduce a MÃÂori ward at this election; in a referendum on its future held at this election (as part of a nation-wide series of referendums) voters elected to keep the MÃÂori ward.
A majority of voters also voted in favour of exploring amalgamation with the Wellington, Upper Hutt, Porirua and Greater Wellington councils, in an indicative poll on the issue.
Voters in the city elected the mayor of Lower Hutt, 12 city councillors from 7 wards, and the members of two community boards (Eastbourne and Wainuiomata). They also elected several members of the Greater Wellington Regional Council.
Following the recommendations of an independent panel, The council decided to increase the number of councillors elected from the general wards from six to seven, decrease the number of councillors elected from the at-large ward from six to five, and to disestablish the Petone, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne community boards. However, a review of these proposals by the Local Government Commission determined that the Wainuiomata and Eastbourne community boards would remain and only the Petone community board would be disestablished.
The council voted in 2023 to establish a MÃÂori ward for the 2025 elections.
The National-led coalition government passed legislation on MÃÂori wards in July 2024, which reinstated the requirement that councils must hold a referendum before establishing MÃÂori wards or constituencies; The council voted to affirm their decision to establish the MÃÂori constituency, thereby triggering a referendum on the constituency to be held alongside the 2025 elections.
An indicative referendum was held alongside the election regarding potential amalgamation of the council with Wellington City Council, Upper Hutt City Council, Porirua City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council.
Incumbent mayor Campbell Barry decided not to seek re-election for a third term as mayor. Four candidates contested the position:
Mana Kairangi ki Tai MÃÂori ward returned one councillor to the city council.
As the only candidate, Puketapu is elected unopposed as the inaugural Mana Kairangi ki Tai MÃÂori ward councillor.
The Western ward returned one councillor to the city council.
The Northern ward returned two councillors to the city council.
As the number of candidates did not exceed the number of positions available, Mitchell and Shaw were re-elected.
The Central ward returned two councillors to the city council.
The Harbour ward returned one councillor to the city council.
As the only candidate, Lewis was re-elected unopposed.
The Wainuiomata ward returned one councillor to the city council.
As the only candidate, Brown was re-elected unopposed.
Five councillors were elected at-large to the city council.
Overall turnout was 41.56%, with 33,038 voting papers returned.
Sports commentator and former councillor Fauono Ken Laban was elected mayor, becoming New Zealand's first Pasifika mayor. He won 8,704 votes to Brady Dyer's 6,974 votes, Karen Morgan's 5,529 votes, and Prabha Ravi's 3,608 votes.
With final results, the following candidates were declared elected:
A majority of Lower Hutt voters voted in favour of exploring amalgamation with the Wellington, Porirua and Upper Hutt councils.