The 2026 General Election will be held on Saturday 7 November, 2026.
A general election is when we vote for the people and parties who represent us in Parliament and form a government.
Key dates for the 2026 General Election
Who can vote in a general election?
To vote in the general election, you need to be enrolled.
For the 2026 election, you need to be enrolled by midnight, Sunday 25 October. You won't be able to enrol once voting starts in New Zealand.
Enrolling isn’t something you do once. You need to keep your enrolment up to date so you’re ready to vote.
Are you eligible to enrol and vote?
If you’re enrolled, we’ll send you information about where and when to vote. If you tell us your email address and mobile number, we may send some information by email or text message.
If you need help to enrol, you can have someone help you.
How do I vote in the general election?
Most people vote at voting places using pen and paper. You can vote at any voting place in New Zealand, but it’s best to vote close to home if you can.
Voting in New Zealand will start on 26 October, 12 days before election day on Saturday 7 November.
What to expect in the voting place
If you can’t make it to a voting place, or if you need help to vote, there’ll be options available to you.
Māori roll or general roll?
If you’re Māori you choose to be on either the Māori roll or the general roll.
If you’re on the Māori roll, you’ll vote for a candidate in a Māori electorate. If you’re on the general roll, you’ll vote for a candidate in a general electorate. Your roll choice doesn’t affect your party vote.
If you want to change rolls, you need to make your choice by midnight, Thursday 6 August. You can't change rolls in the 3 months before election day.
What is the Māori Electoral Option?
What does your choice mean for you?
Who can stand at the general election?
Candidates at a general election can be electorate candidates or list candidates.
Electorate candidates are elected by the electorate vote.
List candidates are elected by the party vote.
Electorate candidates may be independent, or they may represent a political party.
Political parties may be registered or unregistered, but only registered parties can contest the party vote and stand list candidates at a general election.