More than 140 candidates vying for Māori ward seats

Competition for Māori ward seats have seen a high turnout this year, with more than 140 candidates vying for positions across 34 councils.

All positions have received nominations, Local Government New Zealand chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene told 1News in a statement.

"We’ve only seen three instances out of over 50 seats where someone has been elected unopposed," she said.

Previous local government elections saw a "steady average" of just two candidates for available positions.

"These Māori ward numbers show more competition for seats, with over 2.5 candidates for every available position, so that’s really positive."

Freeman-Greene said some areas "have done better than others", adding that regional councils are "probably slightly behind the others, but that’s a trend we’ve seen over the years in the general population".

There were 18 nominations for seats in the Far North District Council and 13 in the Gisborne District Council.

Tauranga also has Māori wards but is is currently being run by commissioners.

Thirty-two councils introduced Māori ward seats for the first time this year.