Timaru re-elects mayor Nigel Bowen for a third term

Saturday, 11 October 2025

Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen, pictured in Timaru on Saturday after winning a third term.

Two-term Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen was driving to Temuka to calm his nerves when he pulled over to take the phone call telling him he had been re-elected for a third time.

“It’s always an uncomfortable time on election day, I think,’’ Bowen said.

“Everyone walks around pacing and nervous the day of the election and the night before. I don’t think you get used to it.

“I get nervous, so I drive around.’’

Based on progress results, Bowen leads with more than 7594 votes, well ahead of fellow mayoral candidates Stu Piddington (4135) and Peter Bennett (2519).

Allan Booth, left, and Sally Parker, give final speeches as councillors at Tuesday’s council meeting. Both councillors did not seek re-election this year.

He would join a familiar line up around the council table, with all but one incumbent councillor re-elected.

Speaking on Saturday afternoon, Bowen thanked former councillors Sally Parker and Allan Booth who did not seek re-election this time round, and former Geraldine ward councillor Gavin Oliver who appeared to have lost his seat to newcomer Philip Harper, 1178 to 1013.

“They have all contributed [to the council] really well,’’ he said.

He also acknowledged all those who stood, saying voters had a diverse selection of candidates to choose from.

“I think that was really positive.’’

He said he had reached out to those who were successful, and looked forward to working with them.

Some of the candidats who stood for the Timaru Ward pictured at the Rotary Timaru North organised meet the candidates event last month. From left, Jason McDouall, Owen Jackson, Sange Malama, Ethan Richardson, Stu Jackson and Anah Aikman.

Bowen said post-election he planned to look at a different way of governing, in terms of the council’s committee structure.

“So we can be more focused on key things that can drive the economy forward, and that’s planning, building and economic development.’’

He said it felt like the economy was in a “little bit of a lull’’ and the council needed to look at what it could do.

“What we as a council can do to enable activity moving forward.’’

He saw collaboration across district boundaries as being important this term, as he felt local government needed to be seen to be working together.

Timaru District mayoral and council candidate Stu Piddington missed out on the top job but has been re-elected to the council.

“And also, there’s lots of opportunities to save dollars for ratepayers.”

He said councillors needed to have robust debate, but also be collaborative.

“I’m just hopeful that elected members can have an open mind to that, and we can continue … doing what isn’t necessarily popular work, but needs to be done for our ratepayers.’’

Piddington, who stood against Bowen for the mayoralty in 2022 and secured 4499 votes in that two horse race, was sitting just short of that this time.

Timaru District mayoral and council candidate Peter Bennett has missed out on both roles based on progress results.

Bowen won his second term in 2022 with 11,875 votes.

Piddington had been absent from candidate events this election having been out of the country for the past few weeks, returning on Saturday morning.

The two-term councillor, who was the highest polling Timaru Ward candidate in 2022 with 6201 votes, looks to have lost that title to Stacey Scott this year, securing 5192 votes to Scott’s 5880.

A pile of votes was cleared from the return box at the Timaru District Council on Saturday as voting closed.

Bennett, who also stood in the Timaru Ward, was the highest polling councillor to miss a seat, with 3449 votes, but may still have a chance at being elected to the council when the final results are tallied.

Fifteen candidates stood for six positions in the Timaru Ward.

Based on progress results, Timaru Ward incumbents Piddington (5192), Scott (5880), Peter Burt (4375), and Owen Jackson (5118) will be joining the mayor at the council table.

Of those who hade hoped to nab the seats left vacant, or push an incumbent out, Graeme Wilson (4368) and Chris Thomas (3587) look set to be elected.

Others who look to have missed out alongside Bennett, include Stu Jackson (3341), Sange Malama (2478), John Bolt (2275), Hadleigh Oudemans (2208), Anah Aikman (1988), Jason McDouall (1768), Ian Hanley (1514) and Ethan Richardson (1417).

Timaru District Council candidates at the Federated Farmers meet the candidates event last month. From left, John Bolt, Scott Shannon, Stacey Scott, Gavin Oliver, Nigel Bowen, Graeme Wilson, Hadleigh Oudemans (obscured), Ethan Richardson, Chris Thomas and Stu Jackson.

However, there is still a chance those numbers could shift, with the council’s deputy electoral officer, Stephen Doran, confirming there had been 993 votes returned on Friday night or Saturday morning, which were not included in Saturday’s progress results.

The progress results were released at 2.30pm on Saturday and were based on about 85% of votes. The preliminary results were expected to be released on Sunday evening.

A final vote count will not be released until at least Thursday.

.In the Pleasant Point-Temuka Ward just three candidates stood for two council positions, one-term incumbents Scott Shannon and Michelle Pye and Charles Scarsbrook.

Pye and Shannon were elected unopposed in 2022.

This year, the results show both incumbents will represent their ward again in 2025 with Pye sitting on 2017 votes, ahead of Shannon’s 1743 and Scarsbrook’s 935.

Based on the results to date:

The six successful candidates standing for the Geraldine Community Board were: Sarah Foley-Smith (1615), Andy McKay (1584), Shane Minnear (1196), Rachel Wilson (1188), Rosie Woods (1183) and Jan Finlayson (1164). Helen Davidson (909) and Kerry Stuart (889) missed out.

The six successful candidates for the Geraldine Licensing Trust were: Jo Hewson (1782), Dan Cummings (1523), John Wilson (1384), Sally Houston (1370), Nicola Donkers (1365) and Rosie Woods (1141). Ross Macleod missed out with 1121 votes, as did Angela Haynes (395).

The five successful candidates for the Pleasant Point Community Board were: Anna Lyon (689), Leanne Fifield (662), Cale Toomey (604), Kathy Wilkins (589) and Amy-Lee Trainor (486). Tezeh Mills with 484 votes looks to have missed out by the narrowest of margins, but that could change once the final votes are in.

The five successful candidates for the Temuka Community Board were: Charles Scarsbrook (1290), Alison Talbot (1212), Nicola Nimo (1133), Kathy Campbell (859) and John Jackson (752). Ann Jones (610) and Jocelyn McNab McKay (573) missed out.

The overall turnout was sitting at 43.75% (14,701 votes) but did not include votes in transit to the processing centre or special votes.