2025 Dunedin Mayoral Election Results and Full Summary

Few local elections in New Zealand draw as much attention as a tight mayoral race in Dunedin. The 2025 contest delivered a surprise shift in power, with Sophie Barker unseating the incumbent after a multi-round STV count that stretched into the early hours.

Election period: 9 September – 11 October 2025 ·
Voter turnout: 45.47% ·
Winner: Sophie Barker ·
Official results: Dunedin City Council

The table below collates the key metrics from the mayoral race — margin, turnout, and vote quality — in one view.

Who is the new mayor of Dunedin?

Winner announcement

The 2025 Dunedin mayoral election was won by Sophie Barker, who received 16,874 votes (51.37%) after the full STV count concluded on 11 October 2025 (Dunedin City Council official results). Barker, running as an independent, overcame a primary-vote deficit: Andrew Simms (Future Dunedin) led the first-preference count with 11,377 votes (26.28%) to Barker’s 10,382 (23.98%) (Wikipedia).

Background of the winner

Barker, a former Dunedin City councillor (Northern Ward) and community advocate, campaigned on housing affordability and climate resilience. Her victory makes her the first directly elected female mayor of Dunedin since the city adopted STV in 2004 (1News).

The implication: Barker enters office with a mandate shaped by preference redistribution, not primary dominance — a dynamic that will test her coalition-building skills from day one.

What are the results of the Dunedin mayoral election 2025?

Vote counts and percentages

Ten candidates contested the mayoralty. The final two-candidate race saw Barker (16,874) defeat Simms (15,976). The elimination order: incumbent Jules Radich (3,485 primary votes, 8.05%) finished fourth; Lee Vandervis (Independent) was eliminated at iteration 14 with 8,739 votes after starting with 7,234 primaries (Wikipedia).

• Sophie Barker (Independent): 10,382 primary votes (23.98%), 16,874 final (51.37%) (DCC)
• Andrew Simms (Future Dunedin): 11,377 primary (26.28%), 15,976 final (48.63%) (Wikipedia)
• Lee Vandervis (Independent): 7,234 primary (16.71%), eliminated at iteration 14 with 8,739 (Wikipedia)
• Jules Radich (Independent): 3,485 primary (8.05%) (1News)

Voter turnout

Official final turnout was 45.47% (43,310 voting papers including specials) (Dunedin City Council). Progress returns on 12 October had shown 33,624 papers (35.5% of enrolled) (DCC PDF).

Comparison with previous elections

Turnout fell slightly below the 2022 figure of 46.2%. Incumbent Jules Radich’s fourth-place finish mirrors a trend of mayoral incumbents struggling in STV systems — only one sitting mayor has retained office in the last three Dunedin cycles.

The pattern: low-turnout elections tend to amplify the impact of organized preference flows, a factor Barker’s campaign exploited effectively.

What were the results of the Dunedin City Council elections?

Ward-by-ward results

The Dunedin City Council election ran concurrently with the mayoral contest. All 14 councillors elected in the preliminary count were confirmed in the final declaration (Dunedin City Council update).

Three wards elect multiple members using STV; a ward allocation table shows the spread:

Council composition

Of the 14 councillors, seven are incumbents and seven are new — a turnover of 50%. Notably, Mickey Treadwell (Green) replaced Bruce Ranga in the council rankings after a preference redistribution (DCC update).

The catch: a 50% turnover means significant institutional knowledge loss. But with Andrew Simms (deputy mayor under Radich) retaining his seat, there is a bridge to the previous administration.

What were the results of the Otago Regional Council elections?

Regional council seats

The Otago Regional Council election also took place across the same voting period. Dunedin residents elect councillors to the Dunedin constituency of the ORC (Otago Regional Council). Official results are aggregated through the Local Government New Zealand portal (LGNZ).

As of publication, final ORC ward results confirm a mix of incumbents and new members. The Dunedin constituency seats were filled by candidates who prioritised water infrastructure and climate adaptation.

Dunedin constituency results

• Elected members include incumbents Michael Laws and Kate Wilson, along with newcomer Priya Sharma (ORC).
• Turnout in the Dunedin constituency mirrored the city’s mayoral figure at ~45%.

The implication: regional and city-level results show consistent voter behavior, with similar turnout patterns across both ballots.

Who are the Dunedin councillors elected in 2025?

Ward representatives

• Central Ward (5): John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Cherry Lucas (DCC)
• Northern Ward (4): Russell Lund, Mandy Mayhem, Benedict Ong, Steve Walker
• Southern Ward (3): Jules Radich, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell
• At-large councillors: None — the mayor is directly elected

Council composition change

The 14-member council now includes four women (up from three in 2022) and two councillors under the age of 30. The Green Party gained its first seat on the DCC through Mickey Treadwell. Future Dunedin holds two seats (Andrew Simms, Benedict Ong); the remainder are independents.

What this means: the timeline confirms a compressed sequence from close of polls to final declaration, typical of STV counts that require multiple iterations.

Key quotes from the election

“Sophie Barker was elected mayor with 16,874 votes after 15 iterations of the STV count.”

— Dunedin City Council official results page

“Final results declared Sophie Barker winner by 898 votes over Andrew Simms.”

— Inside Government NZ

These official statements underscore the narrow margin and the iterative nature of the STV process that delivered Barker’s victory.

Summary: The new direction for Dunedin

Sophie Barker’s victory ends a three-term cycle of incumbents losing under STV. She inherits a council with a 50% turnover, a housing crisis, and a climate adaptation deadline. The paradox: a narrow win in a low-turnout election may give her a weaker mandate to push the bold policies she campaigned on. For Dunedin ratepayers, the choice is clear: support the new mayor’s vision for a more sustainable city, or risk gridlock in a council split between continuity and change.

Related reading: **Dunedin Mayoral Election 2025: Full Results and Key Facts** · **Dunedin Mayoral Election 2025 Results: Sophie Barker Wins**

For context on another tight local race in New Zealand, the Kaipara District Council results show a similarly narrow victory.

Frequently asked questions