Six candidates have chosen to stand for the Tāneatua Community Board in Whakatāne District Council’s 2026 by-election and two for the Murupara Community Board.

Because there were too few candidates for these community boards at the 2025 triennial elections in October, there are three vacancies on the Tāneatua Community Board and one on the Galatea-Waiōhau subdivision of Murupara Community Board.

Nominations opened on November 24 and closed late last year.

Voting forms were posted out last week and electors in these areas have until March 3 to vote.

The Tāneatua Community Board candidates are Angie Rota, Kerry Gosling, Ozgur Jhan, Elise James, MJ Tuwairua and Phillipa Marie Mason. All but Mr Jhan, the owner of the Ataturk Cafe in Whakatāne, are residents within the Tāneatua Community Board area.

The two candidates for the Murupara Community Board are Galatea-Waiōhau residents Karen Isemonger-Rameka and Alicia Oliver.