At the local level, South Canterbury is administered by the Canterbury Regional Council and four District Councils: Timaru, Mackenzie, Waimate, and Waitaki, the latter of which also includes a portion of North Otago. At the national level, most of South Canterbury's rural area is covered, along with much of North Otago, by the Waitaki electorate.
The text describes how South Canterbury is divided into different administrative units: local (Canterbury Regional Council and four District Councils) and national (Waitaki electorate). It also highlights that the Waitaki electorate encompasses a large part of South Canterbury's rural area, including parts of North Otago.