Election of a president is via a delegate vote on the first day of the association’s Annual Conference*.  Each delegate’s vote is weighted according to the number of members they represent.

In the lead-up to conference, candidate’s bios will be uploaded onto the website together with candidate interviews in which they answer a series of questions on matters relevant to the role of president.

Members do not have a direct vote, so you are encouraged to provide feedback to one of the association’s 35 district and area committees.  Committee members will be able to hear from candidates, ask questions of them, and provide delegates with broad guidelines around how they should vote.  At conference, candidates have one last opportunity to present to delegates before voting commences. 

While a candidate's nomination is endorsed by an association committee, that committee is still able to consider the relative merits of all candidates when providing their delegates with voting guidelines.
In a contested election the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated in each round of voting until one candidate secures a majority.  

Delegates must account to their committees for how they vote, but committees must also understand that giving strict instructions can limit responsible decision making based on what may unfold through the final Q&A session and vote process at conference.

The President serves a three-year term and may be re-elected for additional terms. The role is held by a serving member of New Zealand Police who is seconded to work full-time for the association. The president also chairs the association’s board of directors and the Police Welfare Fund board.

*For conference 2025 the vote will be held on Wednesday 15 October