Voting options for housebound people

VOTING PLACE: The Whanganui electorate headquarters on the corner of Taupo Quay and Drews Ave is set up for advance voting.

Getting to a voting place isn't easy for everyone so there are other ways of voting in this year's general election - but you will need to be quick if you want to do postal voting.

The Electoral Commission says there are some options for people who are housebound or cannot get to a voting place for other reasons.

"You can ask to be sent postal voting papers but you will need to get the request in to your local returning officer by this Friday, September 15," a spokesperson said.

Postal voting papers must be postmarked before Friday, September 22, and received by noon on Wednesday, September 27.

"You can also ask someone, for example a friend or family member, to collect your voting papers from any advance or election day voting place. You can download the 'Unable to get to a voting place' brochure from www.elections.org.nz and fill in the authorisation form or contact your local returning officer."

Electoral Commission voting services teams will be visiting rest homes and hospitals between now and the election. People can check with their local returning officer to find out if their hospital or rest home will be visited.

Contact details for returning officers are available at www.elections.org.nz or call 0800 36 76 56.

Age Concern Wanganui manager Tracy Lynn said her organisation had not yet had any queries about voting procedures but older people could contact Age Concern for advice or assistance.

To vote in the 2017 general election, you need to be enrolled by Friday, September 22. You can enrol and vote at any advance voting place but you cannot enrol on election day.

As at September 12, there were 46,583 people enrolled on the general roll and 6191 on the Maori roll for the Whanganui electorate. That equates to 92.96 per cent of the eligible population. The Rangitikei electorate had 44,313 on the general roll and 4863 on the Maori roll, a total of 88.1 per cent of the eligible population. There were 32,446 enrolled voters for the huge Te Tai Hauauru electorate which includes the Whanganui region.