Kia takatū ki te rēhita, ki te pōti hoki

It’s easy to enrol or update your voting details

You can:

• visit vote.nz and use your New Zealand driver licence, New Zealand passport or RealMe verified identity to enrol online
• call free 0800 36 76 56 and ask for a form to be sent to you.

When you’ve enrolled, your name will go on the electoral roll. You must be on the electoral roll to vote.

You need to update your details every time you move house.

Why enrol to vote?

If you’re enrolled to vote, you get to have a say in general elections, local elections and referendums. Elections are your chance to have a say about who represents you in Parliament or in your local council on the issues that you care about. 

You can make sure your voice is heard by enrolling to vote.

Enrolling to vote if you are Māori

If you’re of Māori descent and enrolling for the first time, you choose which electoral roll you want to be on: the general roll or the Māori roll.

If you’re already enrolled, you can change the roll you’re on anytime, except:

• in the three months before a general election or local election
• before a parliamentary by-election if the change would move you into the electorate where the by-election is being held.

What does your roll choice mean for you?

Your choice affects which electorate you can vote in and who you can vote for in general elections and local elections.

If you choose the general roll, you’ll vote for a candidate in a general electorate at a general election. If you choose the Māori roll, you’ll vote for a candidate in a Māori electorate.

You can vote for the same list of political parties in a general election, whichever roll you’re on.

The roll you choose may affect who you can vote for at local elections. If you choose the Māori roll, and your local council has a Māori ward or constituency, you’ll vote for candidates in the Māori ward or constituency. If you choose the general roll, you will vote for candidates in the general ward or constituency.

Who can enrol to vote?

You must enrol if you:

• are 18 years or older, and 
• are a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of New Zealand, and
  have lived in New Zealand for more than one year continuously at some time in your life.

If you are Australian, Cook Islander, Niuean or Tokelauan, you can enrol if you have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months.

If you live overseas you can enrol to vote if you:

• are a New Zealand citizen who has been in New Zealand in the past three years, or are
• a permanent resident of New Zealand who has been in New Zealand in the past 12 months.

For electoral purposes, a permanent resident is anyone lawfully in New Zealand and not required to leave within a specific time. This includes someone on a resident visa.

You can enrol once you turn 17. When you turn 18, you’ll be automatically enrolled and you’ll be ready to vote.