Advanced voting for general election starts in Northland

Advanced voting has started and there are plenty of places in Northland where votes can be cast. PHOTO/ Supplied

More than 50 per cent of Northlanders are expected to cast their vote before election day.

The Electoral Commission expects more advance votes will be cast this election than ever before, and has increased polling stations nationally to 485, from 295 in 2014.

And from 10am yesterday voters took the opportunity to miss the queues on election day and complete their advanced vote.

Northland is following the national trend over the past two elections with more people preferring to vote in advance.

Returning officer for the Northland electorate John Mellsop said there was also a mobile team travelling Northland taking advanced votes.

They were in Awarua yesterdayand will be at Coopers Beach, in the St John Ambulance station todaywith Moerewa, Waikare and Kaeo on the list for the rest of the week.

Last election a campervan was used but this time round specific, easy to access locations had been identified.

"We are recognising more people want to vote in advance so we really want to get into those communities where actually getting to a polling station might prevent them from voting," Mr Mellsop said.

He expected about 600 votes to be cast at the mobile polling booths.

"It really does pay dividends and means people in remote areas can vote."

Mobile advance voting services were also being offered in Gisborne, Kaikoura and the West Coast.

If people could not make it to the mobile voting places there are plenty of places to vote in the lead up to election day on September 23.

Mr Mellsop said people could enrol and vote on the same day if they chose to make an advanced vote.

All the advanced votes would be counted on election day and included in the final electorate result.

There are 485 advance voting places around the country, up from 295 in 2014. Opening hours vary between voting places to suit local needs.

A full list of advance voting stations is available here. Voters can also phone 0800 36 76 56 to find out where their closest voting place is.

Advanced voting locations:
Dargaville, Foster's Building, Victoria St; Kaikohe, Main St, Hammer Hardware Building, Broadway; Kaitaia, Te Ahu Atrium, corner South Rd & Matthews Ave
Kamo, Kamo Bowling Club, Three Mile Bush Rd, Kawakawa, Kawakawa Baptist Church, Gillies St; Kerikeri, Kerikeri Baptist Church, Hobson Ave; Mangawhai Museum Foyer, Molesworth Drive; Maungaturoto Primary School, Gorge Rd; Onerahi Community Hall, Church St; Paihia Memorial & Community Hall, Williams Rd; Raumanga, Northland Polytech, Gate 2 Admin Office, Raumanga Valley Rd or NorthTec, Main Reception, Dyer St; Ruakaka, Bream Bay Community Trust Classroom, Takutai Pl; Tikipunga, Trinity Uniting Church Hall, Otuhiwai Cr; Waipu Coronation Hall, The Centre; Wellsford Community Centre, Matheson Rd; Whangarei, Auckland University, Tai Tokerau Campus, Common Room, Alexander St, Forum North (old Cafe area), Rust Ave, Manaia House Ground Floor, 41 Rathbone Street; Okara Shopping Centre, Port Rd.

* A story in the Northern Advocate on September 11, 2017 incorrectly said Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has ruled out a capital gains tax shortly after taking over as leader last month. Labour has not stated a position on a capital gains tax.