Whakatāne District Council Retains FPP for 2028 and 2031 Elections

Whakatāne District Council has decided to retain the First Past the Post (FPP) voting system for the 2028 and 2031 local elections, citing concerns about change fatigue and the uncertainty facing local government.

However, the decision is not necessarily final.

Under the Local Electoral Act 2001, electors can demand a poll on whether the district should continue using FPP or switch to Single Transferable Vote (STV).

A valid demand must be made by at least 5% of the electors enrolled at the previous general election.

If the required number of electors makes a valid demand by 11 December 2026, Council must hold a poll by 28 March 2027.

If the threshold is not met, Council’s decision to retain FPP will stand, and the system will be used for the 2028 and 2031 elections.

Governance Services Manager Chirese Viljoen said elected members had considered information about both electoral systems, including their advantages and disadvantages, before deciding that retaining FPP was the best option for the district.

A strong theme in elected member feedback was “change fatigue”, with multiple Government reform programmes already creating uncertainty for councils, staff and communities.

Council also considered the possibility of future local government reorganisation or amalgamation proposals and preferred not to introduce another significant change at the same time.

“The Council received information on both electoral systems and considered the advantages and disadvantages of each approach before determining that retaining First Past the Post was the best option for the district,” Viljoen said.

She said retaining the existing system would also provide certainty for voters and candidates.

“The Council also recognised that many residents are already familiar with First Past the Post and understand how it works,” she said.

“Retaining the current system provides certainty for voters and candidates and ensures future elections will continue to use a voting method the community already knows.”

FPP is the system currently used by Whakatāne District Council.

Voters indicate their preferred candidates, and the candidates receiving the most votes are elected.

Under STV, voters rank candidates in order of preference; votes are then transferred between candidates as candidates are elected or eliminated until all available positions are filled.

The choice of electoral system therefore affects both how voters mark their voting papers and how those votes are counted.

FPP remains the more widely used electoral system among New Zealand local authorities, while 15 councils used STV in the last local government election.

Council’s resolution means FPP remains in place unless a voter-initiated poll changes the decision.

The key date is 11 December 2026.

If the required number of electors demand a poll by then, Council must hold the poll by 28 March 2027. Whakatāne voters would then decide whether FPP or STV should be used for the 2028 and 2031 elections.

If the threshold is not met, there will be no poll, and FPP will remain in place for both elections.