It was the first time that the STV method was available; the change came through successful lobbying by Rod Donald.

From 2004 onwards, DHB candidates have been elected at large (i.e. across the whole voting area).

[3] Apart from the district health boards, ten district or city councils used the STV method for the 2004 local elections: Kaipara, Papakura, Matamata-Piako, Thames-Coromandel, Kāpiti Coast, Porirua, Wellington, Marlborough, Dunedin, and the Chatham Islands.

[4] A private company, elections.com and its subsidiary Datamail, had been engaged by seven councils, eighteen DHBs, and one licensing trust with operating the STV elections.

The Office of the Auditor-General became involved and tasked with confirming the election results.