Otago Regional Council undertook its representation review in 2024. These are the steps that were taken:

• 23 August 2023 – council resolved to change electoral system to Single Transferable Vote (STV) for the 2025 and 2028 elections.
• Late 2023 – no decision was taken to consider the introduction of a Māori Ward.
• 21 November 2023 – workshop to outline the Membership Representation Review process and considerations
• 6 December 2023 – council paper to agree approach to the review
• February 2024 – early engagement through letters to territorial authorities, Rūnaka and an online community survey
• 21 March 2024 – workshop to consider early engagement feedback, data, communities of interest and potential options
• 22 May 2024 – council paper to consider potential options for the initial proposal
• 26 June 2024 – council paper adopting an initial proposal
• 10 July – 8 September 2024 – consultation on initial proposal (ORC releases initial proposal for 2025 local election representation)
• 3 October 2024 – hearings and deliberations took place
• 23 October 2024 - final proposal adopted
• 30 October – 3 December 2024 – appeals period notified via public notice (Public notice: Final proposal for representation arrangements for the 2025 local elections)
• 3 March 2025 – hearing run by the Local Government Commission
• 2 April 2025 – Local Government determination issued upholding ORC’s final proposal.