| Advance voting |
A vote that’s cast before election day is called an advance vote. The advance voting period is the 12 days before election day. |
| Annual returns |
Registered parties file returns with the Electoral Commission each year, detailing the donations and loans that the party received the previous year. |
| Ballot box |
A sealed box at the voting place where you put your voting papers once you’ve completed them. |
| Boundary review |
Electorate boundaries are reviewed after each population census. |
| Broadcasting allocation |
The broadcasting allocation is where political parties can apply for public funding for election advertising on radio, television and the internet. |
| By-election |
Election held during a parliamentary term when the seat of an electorate member of Parliament becomes vacant, for example they die or resign |
| Candidate |
Someone that people can vote for in an election. |
| Caretaker government |
The government in office prior to the general election continues as a ‘caretaker government’ after the general election, until a new government is sworn in. A caretaker government continues to run the country, but doesn’t make any important policy decisions. |
| Community Education Fund |
Provides small grants to local organisations so they can encourage their communities to enrol to vote. |
| Disallowed vote |
Vote disallowed because the returning officer is satisfied the person’s vote cannot be counted, for example where the voter is not registered to vote, a special vote declaration is incomplete or returned late, or it appears a voter has voted more than once at the election. |
| Dissolution of Parliament |
At the end of each 3-year term, Parliament is dissolved so an election can be held. This is a key step in the lead up to an election. |
| Dormant roll |
Roll containing voters who have been removed from the main roll for their electorate because they no longer live at an address and have not updated their enrolment details. |
| EasyVote card |
If you’re enrolled before writ day, you’ll get an EasyVote card – either by post or email. Take it with you when you go to vote. It makes voting faster. |
| Election Access Fund |
Assists disabled parliamentary candidates by helping with costs that non-disabled candidates don’t face. |
| Election advertising |
Advertising that encourages or persuades people to vote or not vote for a party or candidate. Election advertising can be in any medium, and there are special rules that apply to it. |
| Election day |
The official election day, which is always on a Saturday. Voters have from 9am until 7pm on election day to vote. |
| Election expenses |
The cost of making and displaying election advertisements. There are spending limits on election advertising in the three months before an election (the regulated period). |
| Electoral roll |
A list of people who have enrolled to vote. |
| Electorate |
Voting areas that New Zealand is divided into. When you enrol to vote, you’re enrolled in the electorate where you live. Each electorate contains about the same number of people. There are general and Māori electorates. |
| Electorate candidate |
Someone that people can vote for in an election. Electorate candidates represent their local area or electorate. The candidate who wins the most votes in your electorate becomes your local member of Parliament (MP). |
| Electorate vote |
One of the two ticks you make when you vote. Your electorate vote is for the candidate you would like to be the member of Parliament for the area you live in. |
| Enrolment/enrolling |
You must enrol so you can vote. You may also hear it referred to as registering or signing up to vote. |
| Enrolment form |
Application form used to enrol to vote, or to update enrolment details, for example your address if you have moved. |
| Expense returns |
After an election, electorate candidates and registered parties file returns showing how much they spent on election advertising in the three months before election day. |
| General election |
An election is held after each term of Parliament, usually 3 years, to elect members of a new Parliament. General elections are where voters elect MPs to pass laws and govern the country on their behalf. |
| General roll |
A list of all the people enrolled to vote in a general electorate. |
| Informal vote |
A voting paper where the intention of the voter can’t be determined. These votes are recorded but they don’t count towards the election results. |
| Kids Voting - Te Pōti a Ngā Tamariki |
A civics education programme that gives young New Zealanders a first-hand experience of voting in a mock election. |
| List candidate |
List candidates are on a registered political party list of candidates and can become MPs through the party vote. |
| Local election |
Voters elect mayors and councillors to run essential services and respond to the needs of their towns, cities, districts and regions. |
| Māori Electoral Option |
The choice for Māori about which electoral roll to be on: the Māori roll or the general roll. |
| Māori roll |
A list of all the people enrolled to vote in a Māori electorate. You can choose to enrol on the Māori roll or general roll if you are of New Zealand Māori descent. |
| Master roll |
A compilation of all the rolls from voting places in an electorate. It shows who has voted, but not who you voted for. It helps identify voters who may have voted more than once. |
| Member of Parliament (MP) |
People who are elected to Parliament, usually in a general election. There are electorate MPs and list MPs. |
| Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) |
The voting system that we use in New Zealand. We use MMP to choose who represents us in Parliament. |
| Nominations day |
The last day nominations for electorate and list candidates can be made. |
| Official count |
The official count gives the final election results. It starts the day after election day and takes 20 days to complete. Ordinary votes are counted a second time and special votes, including overseas votes, are checked and counted. |
| Official results |
Official results are declared once the official count is completed and the results are final. |
| Ordinary vote |
You’ll cast an ordinary vote if your name is on the printed electoral roll at the voting place where you to go vote. |
| Overseas vote |
A vote cast from overseas. You can vote from outside New Zealand if you’re enrolled and eligible. |
| Party donations and loans |
A donation of money or goods or services, or a loan, made to a political party. |
| Party vote |
One of the two ticks you make when you vote. You vote for the political party you support. Your party vote helps to determine how many seats in Parliament each party gets. |
| Preliminary results |
Preliminary results released on election night are from the first count of ordinary votes cast before and on election day. Special votes are not included in these results. |
| Promoter statement |
A statement showing the name and contact details of the person promoting the advertisement. This must be clearly displayed in all election advertisements. |
| Registered party |
To contest the party vote at a general election and have its logo on the voting paper, a political party needs to register with the Electoral Commission. Before the party can be registered, the Commission asks the public whether they have any issues with the party name or logo. |
| Regulated period |
Party, candidate and third party spending limits apply for advertising published during this 3-month period before the election. |
| Remote vote |
There are remote voting services for voters in remote locations, e.g. a vessel in NZ waters with no access to any voting services. |
| Representation Commission |
An independent body that reviews and adjusts the boundaries and names of electorates. |
| Representative democracy |
New Zealand has a representative democracy which means that you vote for the people you want to represent you on the issues that matter to you. |
| Resident for electoral purposes |
You're a resident for electoral purposes if you’re living in New Zealand lawfully and you're not required to leave within a specified time. |
| Return of the Writ |
Marks the end of an election. The writ is returned to the Clerk of the House of Representatives showing the names of the successful electorate candidates. |
| Scrutineers |
People appointed by candidates or parties to observe every aspect of the voting process and the count. |
| Special vote |
You’ll cast a special vote if your name is not on the printed roll at the voting place. This could be because you enrolled after the roll was printed, you’re voting outside your electorate, or you’re on the unpublished roll. A special vote takes a big longer because you also need to sign a declaration form. |
| Takeaway or postal vote |
Type of special vote that can be completed away from a voting place. |
| Unpublished roll |
A confidential roll you can apply to go on if you have concerns about your personal safety, where your details are not released publicly. |
| Unregistered party |
Parties that can contest a general election, or by-election, by standing electorate candidates but they cannot contest the party vote. |
| Voting paper (also known as ballot paper) |
The paper that lists the names of the parties and candidates you can vote for in an election. You put a mark to indicate which candidate and party you would like to vote for. Your vote is counted as long as your intention is clear. |
| Voting place |
Where you go to cast your votes in an election. It could be a school or community hall, for example. |
| Ward or constituency |
A council voting area, like a parliamentary electorate. City and district councils have wards, and regional councils have constituencies. |
| Writ day |
The day when the Governor-General issues a writ (a formal written direction) to the Chief Electoral Officer, telling the Electoral Commission to hold a general election, by-election or referendum. |
