While the general election is not until November 7, the Electoral Commission has planning well underway, with a few changes to the voting system introduced this year.
Voters face several electoral system changes in this year’s general election.
Changes include that people must be enrolled before advance voting starts in New Zealand, and that it is an offence to improperly influence a person’s roll choice.
About 100,000 people will choose their MPs for the Whangārei, Northland and Te Tai Tokerau electorates in November.
The electorates are currently held by Shane Reti (Whangārei), Grant McCallum (Northland) and Mariameno Kapa-Kīngi (Te Tai Tokerau).
There will be at least one new MP for the region, with Reti retiring at the election.
Kapa-Kīngi has yet to decide if she will stand in the electorate for the party again this year. McCallum has confirmed he will stand again, while a decision has yet to be made on who will stand for Te Pāti Māori Te Tai Tokerau.
Already confirmed to stand are:
Northland: Grant McCallum, National, Ashleigh Latimer (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Whakatōhea), Labour; Sean Brickland, NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party, Richard McIntosh, Build the Nation Party.
Whangārei: Lloyd Budd, National; Gary Payinda, Labour.
Te Tai Tokerau: Huhana Lyndon, Greens; Willow-Jean Prime, Labour.
Who else will stand will not be known until after October 8, when nominations close.
This year there are changes to the way people can vote. A recent law change means voters must be enrolled before advance voting starts in New Zealand.
“Make sure you’re enrolled at the address where you live by October 4 to get an EasyVote card, which will make voting faster,” Karl Le Quesne, chief electoral officer said.
The Electoral Commission is running a nationwide public information programme to get people enrolled.
Le Quesne said there will be advertising, mailouts and community engagement to inform people about how to enrol.
Teams will host mobile ‘pop-up’ services aimed at reaching eligible voters.
Enrolment hubs will be set up in the main centres.
Anyone who enrols after October 4 will cast a special vote, and once advance voting starts on October 26, people won’t be able to enrol or update details.
On voting day, the results will start coming through after polls close at 7pm, with final results released on November 27.
The following changes will take effect before the election.
• Enrolment closes 13 days before election day.
• An advance voting period of 12 days is set in the law.
• Sentenced prisoners are disqualified from voting. Previously, only prisoners sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three years or more were disqualified.
• It is an offence to improperly influence a person’s roll choice – Māori or general roll , for example, by offering money or a gift.
• You cannot provide free food, drink (excluding water), and entertainment within 100m of a voting place entrance during voting hours unless it is part of your ordinary business, unrelated to the election.
• The disclosure threshold for party donations increases from $5000 to $6000.
• The timeframe for disclosing donations over $20,000 increases from 10 to 20 working days in election years.
• New Zealand citizens living overseas can only enrol and vote if they have been in New Zealand within the past three years, and New Zealand residents living overseas can do so if they have been in the country within the past 12 months.
Election timeline:
August 6 – Last day for party and logo registration and for enrolled Māori to change roll types.
August 7 – Regulated period for election advertising expenses begins
September 7 – Candidate nominations open
October 1 – Dissolution of Parliament
October 4 – Writ Day – the Governor-General issues formal direction to the Electoral Commission to hold the election. Anyone enrolling after this date casts a special vote.
October 8 – Nominations close for candidates.
October 21 – Overseas voting starts
October 25 – Last day to enrol to vote in the election
October 26 – Advance voting starts
November 6 – Regulated period ends. All election advertising must stop. Signs must be taken down by midnight.
November 7 – election day. Voting places open 9am to 7pm. Preliminary election results released progressively from 7pm on electionresults.govt.nz
November 27 – official results declared.
For information on how to vote, the rules, and to enrol go to vote.nz.