Elections
We hold regular elections for a range of membership roles.
Our area councils
Area council elections take place annually, and area councillors are elected for three-year terms.
In 2026,
- Nominations will open in March,
- Online elections will take place in May, and
- Elected candidates will start their terms in July.
More detailed dates and information will be available on this page closer to the election.
Our National Council
National Council elections take place annually, and members are elected for a one-year term.
In 2026,
- Nominations will open in June,
- Online elections will take place in August, and
- Elected candidates will start their terms in September.
More detailed dates and information will be available on this page closer to the election.
Read more about our National Council and these elections
Our branch committees
Branch committee elections take place each year at the branch Annual General Meetings (AGM).
Branch AGM’s are held annually between 1 July and 15 July. The Branches will notify their members directly of the AGM date and vacancies at least two weeks prior to the election.
For details, speak to your branch president.
Read about our branch committees
Our National Board
National Board members are elected by the National Council. These elections are held when vacancies come up. National Board members are elected for a term of four years, and the National President and National Youth Representative terms are three years.
Who is eligible to stand for elected roles?
To stand as a candidate for any elected role, you must:
- be a current member of Red Cross,
- be over 18 years old,
- be able to pass a background check,
- be in good standing, and
- have two current Red Cross members who support your candidacy as nominators.
You cannot stand for these roles if you:
- are employed by New Zealand Red Cross, or held a paid position within the last six months, or
- are on deployment as an International Delegate, or
- have conflicts of interest that would prevent you from participating in the role.
There may be additional eligibility criteria and conditions for specific vacant governance roles, such as:
- geographic location if the role is to represent a certain area,
- age for roles representing youth, or
- standdown periods for people who have reached maximum term limits in the past.
Any additional criteria will be specified when vacancies are announced.
What will I need to do to stand as a candidate?
Detailed information will be included in nomination opening announcements.
For area council and National Council roles, please anticipate that this will include:
- being asked to provide names of two members who support your nomination,
- undergoing vetting and disclosing any conflicts of interest,
- being asked to submit a photo and provide answers about your experience and motivation, to help put together information for voters about you as a candidate.
Election processes
Our elections processes are outlined in our Constitution and Regulations.