Tauranga and Bay of Plenty electors urged to enrol to vote

Nearly 2600 people in the Tauranga and Bay of Plenty electorates are yet to enrol to vote as the clock counts down to the September 23 election.

The latest enrolment figures as at September 5 showed 51,364 people were enrolled in the Tauranga electorate.

Another 54, 138 people have enrolled in the Bay of Plenty electorate, and 34,264 electors in the Waiariki electorate.

Just over 94 per cent of the estimated eligible population in the Tauranga electorate have enrolled, whereas almost 98 per cent have done so in the Bay of Plenty electorate.

Tauranga Electoral Office registrar Lesley Christophers said a total of 104,891 EasyVote packs would be sent to those who had enrolled before August 23 in the Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, and Waiariki Roll areas.

"But we are still looking for the missing electors not enrolled in Tauranga, and the Bay of Plenty electorate to come forward," she said.

"It's easy to enrol and people can enrol right up to September 22, but not on election day itself," she said.

Ms Christophers said this election people would be able to enrol and vote at the same time during the advance voting period from September 11 to 22.

Voting starts when advance voting places opened on September 11, she said.

Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty electorates were close to full enrolment at the 2014 election with 50,049 in Tauranga and 50,128 in Bay of Plenty electorates enrolled.

In 2014 only 80 per cent of those who enrolled in the Bay of Plenty Electorate and 79.2 per cent in the Tauranga electorate voted.

Voter turnout in the Waiariki electorate was only 64.7 of eligible electors.

As at September 5, 3,180,058 people have enrolled to vote nationwide.

The lowest enrolment group is among young Kiwis aged 18-24 years, with 154, 236 or just over 33 per cent of the eligible population in that age group yet to enrol.

How to enrol or check your enrolment details

Pick up an enrolment form at any PostShop

Phone 0800 36 76 56 or text your name and address to 3676

Visit www.elections.org.nz