It’s time for our 2026 Regional Executive elections.

Our returning officer for all 2026 NZSBA elections is Schooled Election Pilot. Nominations for Regional Executive elections open tomorrow, 5 February. Schooled Election Pilot will send the principal of every current financial member board a nomination form and background information. The principal will be invited to share that information with their board.

As a member board, you are invited to nominate people for these positions and, if required, vote for your board’s preferred candidate(s).

Every three years, within nine months of the national triennial school board elections, we hold elections for our Regional Executive positions. A few months later, we then hold our National Board and President elections.

What is a Regional Executive?

A Regional Executive is a group of between three and eight members (depending on the region). Their purpose is to offer events and networking opportunities for member boards within their local areas, helping to strengthen governance capability. While the role is not primarily governance‑focused, it centres on creating and promoting opportunities for members to learn, share experiences, and connect with others facing similar challenges.

Regional Executives also play a valuable role in identifying local issues that may need escalation to a national level. They act as an important conduit of information for the President and are often the first point of contact when a cross‑section of opinion is needed on emerging topics.

Serving as a Regional Executive is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of school governance by being at the forefront of member experiences and insights.

What’s the commitment?

Each region has a budget to fund membership events and activities, as well as to cover reasonable expenses. Regional Executives meet between 3–8 times a year to plan events. Each Executive will elect its own Regional Executive Chair, who will also be invited to attend two to three meetings per year with the other Regional Executive Chairs from around the country.

Regional Executives serve a three‑year term.

If you are interested in standing for your Regional Executive, please put yourself forward.

Timeline

      Nominations open Thursday 5 February 2026

Nominations close 1pm, Thursday 12 March 2026

Voting opens Thursday 19 March 2026

Voting closes 4pm, Thursday 23 April 2026

Results released 10am, Friday 24 April 2026

Election handbook

A handbook with detailed information about the Regional Executive elections and the National Board and President Elections later in the year can be found here.