What to do

You need to be enrolled to vote in the election.

To enrol and vote, you must be 18 years or older, a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more at some time in your life.

Enrol or update now

If you're enrolled at the address where you live by Sunday, 10 September you’ll be sent an EasyVote pack.

The pack tells you:

• How to vote
• Who the candidates are
• When you can vote

You'll also get an EasyVote card that makes voting quicker on the day.

Voting places open across New Zealand, so everyone has a chance to vote.

Some voting places can be quite busy at certain times of the day. If you’d prefer to vote when it’s quieter, or if you may need assistance, the best times to vote are typically between 9am – 11am and 2pm – 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Voting is quicker if you vote in the area where you live. However, if you're away from where you usually live, you can vote at the nearest voting place.

If you can't go to a voting place, there are other ways you can vote, including having someone collect voting papers for you.

Can’t get to a voting place?

Take your EasyVote card with you when you vote. If you haven’t got a card or forget to bring it, you can still vote. You don't need to bring ID.

When you arrive at a voting place, our staff will welcome you and answer any questions you might have. Our staff will be wearing orange vests.

There’ll also be signs up directing you where to go.

What to expect at the voting place

Getting your voting paper

When it’s your turn, go up to the person issuing voting papers. Put your EasyVote card on the table and tell them your name. They'll find your name on the electoral roll and give you your voting paper.

If you don't have an EasyVote card, you'll be asked for your name and address, and finding you on the electoral roll may take a bit longer.

Once you get your voting paper, take it to a voting screen where you can vote privately.

You can enrol at a voting place

You need to be enrolled for your vote to count. If you're not enrolled when you get to a voting place, you can enrol there. You can enrol and vote at any voting place, including on election day. You'll need to fill out an enrolment form and a 'special declaration vote' form. Someone will be there to guide you and answer your questions.

You may need to cast a special vote

If your name is not on the printed roll at a voting place, you'll need to fill out a 'special declaration vote' form before you can vote. This is known as a 'special vote'.

Your name may not be on the printed roll if:

• You enrolled after the roll was printed
• You're voting away from your home electorate
• You're on the unpublished roll

If you need help to read or mark your voting paper

A friend, family member or someone working at the voting place can help you mark your voting papers. They can't tell you who to vote for, but they can:

• Go to the voting screen with you
• Read out the words and information on the voting papers
• Mark the voting papers for you if you ask them to

Need help to vote?

You get two votes in the election — a party vote and an electorate vote.

You can vote for a party and a candidate, or vote for only one or the other — it's your choice.

Voting for a party

Your party vote is for the political party you want to be in government.

On the left side of your election voting paper, tick the circle next to the name of the party you choose. You can only vote for one party.

You can choose from the same list of parties with your party vote, no matter which electorate you are enrolled in or which electoral roll you are on.

Voting for an electorate candidate

Your electorate vote is for the candidate you would like to be the member of Parliament for the area you live in.

On the right side of your election voting paper, tick the circle next to the name of the candidate you choose. You can only vote for one candidate.

Don't worry if you make a mistake when you're voting

If you make a mistake when you're voting, you can take your 'spoilt' voting paper back and ask for another one. Spoilt papers aren't counted.

When you've finished marking your voting paper, fold it in half.

Place your voting paper in the voting box for your electorate. If you’re voting in a Māori electorate, the box will be grey. If you’re voting in a general electorate, the box will be orange.