There’s less than a week until advance voting opens for this year’s general election, scheduled for Saturday, October 14.
Overseas voting starts on September 27 while voting places open in New Zealand on October 2.
Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne says: “If you’re travelling or based overseas, you can still vote in the election.
“The easiest way to vote from overseas is to download your voting papers from www.vote.nz and return them by upload to the website.
“In 2020, more than 90 per cent of overseas voters used this service.
“There are also 74 locations overseas where New Zealanders can vote in person, including 10 voting places in Australia.”
For voters who are blind, partially blind, or have a physical disability that means they cannot mark their voting paper without help, telephone dictation voting opens on September 27.
People have to register to use the service with more information available online at www.vote.nz/telephone-dictation-voting.
Voting within New Zealand opens on October 2 and closes at 7pm on October 14.
“Voting places will be open before election day in convenient locations including shopping areas, transport hubs, kura, marae, community halls and sports clubs, to make it easy for people to vote as they go about their daily lives,” Le Quesne says.
“Voting before election day, also known as advance voting, has increased in popularity over the years.
“In 2020, 68 per cent of votes were cast before election day. More than 400 voting places will be open on October 2.
“That number will increase as we head toward election day.
“The days and hours voting places are open before election day vary, so check before you go to vote.”
People can find their nearest voting place on a map online at www.vote.nz or by phoning 0800 36 76 56.
“On election day, October 14, more than 2,300 voting places will be open from 9am-7pm,” Le Quesne says.
“If you were enrolled by September 10, you should get an EasyVote pack in the mail which includes a list of your local voting places.
“It also includes an EasyVote card which will make voting faster at the voting place.”
Eligible voters can fill out an enrolment form and vote at the same time at any voting place, including on election day.
