All you need to know about voting in the Tauranga byelection

Candidates (clockwise) Helen Houghton, Cameron Luxton, Sam Uffindell, Jan Tinetti, Peter Wakeman, Yvette Lamare, Andrew Hollis, Tony Corbett, Sue Grey, Allan Cawood, and Christ Coker. Photos/Supplied

The Tauranga byelection comes to an end tomorrow when one of 12 candidates vying to represent the city's electorate in Parliament is finally chosen. But what does that mean and how can you play your part? Kiri Gillespie outlines what you need to know about the byelection, the results and what's next for the winner.

Who's running?

Anyone enrolled to vote and a New Zealand citizen can be nominated as a byelection candidate. In this instance, 12 people came forward to take over from Simon Bridges.
They are: New Conservative candidate Helen Houghton, Act Party candidate Cameron Luxton, National candidate Sam Uffindell, Labour candidate Jan Tinetti, New Nation Party candidate Andrew Hollis, NZ Outdoors and Freedom Party candidate Sue Grey, One Party candidate Allan Cawood, Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party candidate Christopher Coker and independent candidates Gordon Dickson, Peter Wakeman, Tony Corbett and Yvette Lamare.

Where you can vote

People have been able to vote early from June 4 with up to 17 voting places peppered around Tauranga's main suburbs. From today the number of voting places will increase to 20 with various opening times. These are listed below. Voting closes at 7pm today.

What if you haven't received a voting pack but are in the electorate and want to vote?

Everyone enrolled should have received an EasyVote pack in the mail but people don't need an EasyVote card to vote. Staff at a voting venue will be able to help.

Eligible voters who are not yet enrolled can enrol and vote at any voting place.

Who's already voted?

Early voting began on June 4 and by the end of Wednesday, 11,967 people had already cast their vote.

Rules on the day

All byelection campaign signs and hoardings had to have been removed by midnight last night. In addition to this, candidates and media cannot be seen to be potentially influencing voters to a particular person.

At the voting venues:

Scrutineers can be appointed by candidates to observe all aspects of the voting process and the count, including the issuing of votes in voting places and being present for the election night count. Scrutineers can be present and ask electoral commission staff questions but they cannot speak directly with voters. Scrutineers also can wear a party lapel badge or rosette and clothing in party colours.

Not sure if you can vote?

All eligible voters on the general roll in the Tauranga electorate can vote. The electorate's border means people living in areas such as Arataki, Pāpāmoa, Welcome Bay, Ōhauiti and the Lakes will not likely be able to vote as these areas come under the Bay of Plenty electorate.

When will a winner be decided?

Preliminary byelection results will be progressively available on the Bay of Plenty Times website from 7pm on Saturday, with an anticipated 50 per cent of votes counted by about 9pm and 95 per cent by 10.30pm.

Official results, including special declaration and overseas votes, will be released on July 1.

What's next for the winner?

The successful byelection candidate will make their own plans to head to Parliament and represent Tauranga.

The Tauranga electorate. Image / Supplied

Tauranga byelection voting places Friday and election day, Saturday

Bethlehem

Bethlehem Town Centre (ex-
Hammer Hardware), 19 Bethlehem Rd
Friday, June 17: 10am–5pm
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Brookfield

Brookfield School, 20 Millers Rd
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Gate Pa

Tauranga Girls' College Hall, 930 Cameron Rd
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Greerton

Greenpark School, 13 Lumsden St
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Tauranga RSA, 1237 Cameron Rd
Friday, June 17: 10am–5pm
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Matua
Matua School, 147 Levers Rd
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Mount Maunganui

Bayfair Shopping Mall (next to Amazon), Maunganui Rd
Friday, June 17: 10am–5pm
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Mt Maunganui College, 565 Maunganui Rd
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Mt Maunganui Primary School, 13 Orkney Rd
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Senior Citizens' Hall, 345 Maunganui Rd
Friday, June 17: 10am–5pm
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Otūmoetai

Otūmoetai Baptist Church, 8 Claremont Terrace
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Otūmoetai Intermediate School, 5 Charles St
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

St Columba Church Hall, 502 Otūmoetai Rd
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Parkvale

Fraser Cove Shopping Centre (near Jesters), 229-231 Fraser St
Friday, June 17: 10am–5pm
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Pillans Point

Pillans Point School, 101 Maxwells Rd
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Pyes Pa

Aquinas College, 183 Pyes Pa Rd
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Tauranga

City Centre (ex-Langtons), 46 Spring St
Friday, June 17: 10am–5pm
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

City Centre (ex-Simply Gifts), 106 Devonport Rd
Friday, June 17: 10am–4pm
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Tauranga Primary School Hall, 31 5th Avenue
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm

Tauriko

Tauranga Crossing (next to Maher Shoes Ground Floor), 2 Taurikura Drive
Friday, June 17: 10am–5pm
Saturday, June 18: 9am–7pm