Enrolment

You have to be enrolled to vote

To vote you must be on the electoral roll. Enrolment is easy. You can get an enrolment form right now from:

• Any PostShop
• Freephone 0800 36 76 56
• Freetext 3676 (text your name and address).
• here

You cannot enrol on election day.

The earlier you enrol, the better

If you enrol early before the electoral roll closes for printing (about 1 month before election day) the Chief Electoral Officer will send you an EasyVote information pack about a week before election day.

• The pack will give you all the information you need to vote in the election - the name of your electorate, who your local candidates are, where you can go to vote and so on.
• It will also include a personal EasyVote card to take with you when you vote.

If you enrol late, you can still vote

• You will have to complete a special declaration vote.
• You will not receive an EasyVote card but you should receive a letter to take with you when you vote.

Voting

It's best to vote close to home

• Your EasyVote information pack will include a list of the polling places for your electorate.
• If you are going to be outside your electorate on election day, you can still vote by going to any polling place and completing a special declaration vote, which will take longer. Take your EasyVote card with you if you have one.

Voting in advance is an option

You can vote in advance from about two and a half weeks before election day, for example if you are going to be away from home on election day. You will have to complete a form giving your reason for voting in advance.

You can get information about where to vote in advance from:

• this website
• Freephone 0800 36 76 56.

Information on voting in advance will also be in your EasyVote information pack, which you should receive about a week before election day.

Voting on election day is easy

• To make voting easier, take your EasyVote card with you. It shows your electorate and where you are on the electoral roll.
• If you don't have an EasyVote card, but have been sent a letter from the Chief Electoral Officer, take the letter with you.
• If you don't have an EasyVote card or a letter, you can still vote if you are enrolled.

You have two votes

• Your Party Vote is for the political party you most want to be represented in Parliament. Your Electorate Vote is for the candidate you want to be your local electorate member of Parliament.
• In general, the more Party Votes a party gets, the more MPs it will have in Parliament.

Special note for Māori

Your personal EasyVote card will show you the electorate you are enrolled in to vote. You may be enrolled for a Māori electorate or you may be enrolled in a general electorate, depending on the choice you made when you enrolled. The next opportunity to do is during the Maori electoral option in April - August 2006.

Help for voters with special needs

• If you are in a rest home or hospital, your local Returning Officer will send someone to take your vote.
• If you are unable to get to a polling place because of sickness, infirmity or disability, help may be available. Contact your local Returning Officer. Contact details are available by calling Freephone 0800 36 76 56.

People overseas on election day can also vote

You have 4 choices. You can:

• vote in advance, if you are in New Zealand in the 3 weeks before election day
• download voting papers from this website in the 3 weeks before election day
• apply for a postal vote
• vote at an overseas post

Closer to an election full information will be available on our website and from freephone 0800 36 76 56.