There are very few bodies, e.g., the Christchurch Drainage Board, for which no qualifications are prescribed for candidates for election, but this is unusual. For the House of Representatives and agencies of local government it is required that a candidate be qualified as an elector; excluded normally, however, are undischarged bankrupts, aliens, prisoners, and persons convicted of serious offences, persons of unsound mind, and persons whose financial interests may conflict with the interests of the body concerned. As regards private bodies, the conditions are not normally so extensive, qualification as an elector usually being sufficient.

In private and public bodies alike, a person cannot stand for the same office more than once at the same election, but there is normally no restriction upon a person standing for re-election to the same office upon conclusion of his term, or standing for election to any number of bodies, public or private. In no case is there any qualification or disqualification by reason of affiliation to any party or other association, political or otherwise.