Harewood Ward Councillor Wins Unopposed

Aaron Keowon

This matters because local government decisions, from rates to roads to recreation facilities, have a direct impact on people’s everyday lives. Without an election, residents miss out on the chance to compare different visions, challenge incumbents, and demand answers on pressing issues. For younger voters especially, the absence of a contest risks discouraging long-term participation in the democratic process.

The race for Christchurch’s Harewood Ward ended before it began, with sitting councillor Aaron Keown re-elected unopposed after nominations for the 2025 local body elections closed last week.

While the outcome secures Keown another three years at the council table, it also reflects a wider trend of uncontested seats across the city and the country, raising concerns about voter choice, engagement, and the overall health of local democracy.

In a statement, Keown expressed gratitude for the confidence shown by the lack of challengers but admitted he had been hoping for competition. “It's not something I expected, so I'm not sure how to feel,” he said. 

The absence of competition means that residents of Harewood will not be casting a vote for their councillor this election cycle. For many, particularly young people voting for the first time, this represents a missed opportunity to participate in shaping who represents their community at the council table. Experts argue that when elections go uncontested, it risks creating a perception that local government is inaccessible, irrelevant, or already predetermined.

Despite the lack of a race for his own seat, Keown plans to remain active during the campaign period. He intends to continue engaging with voters and support incumbent mayor Phil Mauger’s re-election campaign. “I will still be campaigning this year to get Phil Mauger for Mayor re-elected” 

Harewood is not alone. Across Christchurch and New Zealand as a whole, dozens of councils, community boards, and local authority roles have seen fewer nominations than seats available. In some cases, candidates are being appointed rather than elected. Some commentators warn that this undermines voter confidence and weakens the accountability that comes from a genuine contest of ideas.

As the campaign season begins, attention will turn to other wards that are being contested and, most importantly, the mayoral race between the two top contenders, Phil Mauger, the incumbent mayor, and Sara Tempelton. But in Harewood, the outcome has already been decided. Keown will continue as councillor for another three years, not by the choice of the people, but by default.