How do I check whether I'm on the electoral roll?
What information do I have to give when I’m enrolling?
Who can access my enrolment details and how would they do that?
How do I get on the non-published electoral role? I don’t want certain people having information about where I live.
I’m going to be in Australia on Election Day. Can I still vote?
Do I have to vote?
What is a referendum and what does it do?
How do I start a Citizens Initiated Referendum?
How do I check whether I'm on the electoral roll?
You can do this
online, or you can look through the printed electoral rolls. These are available at:
If you aren't already enrolled, you can do so online. Application forms are also available online and at Post Shops. You can also contact the Electoral Commission (phone 0800 367656 or free text 3676) to have an application form sent to you.
What information do I have to give when I’m enrolling?
You need to give your
- full name
- date of birth
- signature and date
- residential address: this address has to be your full home address so that you can be enrolled in an electorate. Even if you’re temporarily away from your home for work or other reasons, you can still reside there for the purposes of the electoral roll.
If you’re a New Zealand Maori or a descendant of a New Zealand Maori, you choose between the Maori and the General electorate. More information is on the enrolment form.
Who can access my enrolment details and how would they do that?
Everyone registered to vote has their details published in the electoral roll book. Printed electoral roll books are available to all New Zealanders – it’s part of the democratic process of New Zealand. The rolls are available at the Registrar of Electors' offices, and some local libraries or council offices. (To find your nearest Registrar of Electors' office, go to the
Electoral Commission website or look them up in the phone book under 'New Zealand Post'.)
If you don’t want your details made public, see the next question about the non-published electoral role.
How do I get on the non-published electoral roll? I don’t want certain people having information about where I live.
In some cases, people and their families are put at risk by having their personal details printed in the electoral roll. So to remedy this, there is a special non-published electoral roll for people who don’t want to be shown as a registered voter on the electoral roll. This roll is seen only by the registrars of electors.
To apply to be on this roll, you can call 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56) to have the form “Enrolling to vote on the Unpublished Electoral Roll” posted to you, or get the form online. You can find out what information you need to give with your form on the
Elections New Zealand website.
I’m going to be in Australia on Election Day. Can I still vote?
There are always some people who are unable to vote on Election Day for various reasons. You can place a special vote in advance if
- you’re going to be overseas or outside your electorate
- an illness or another reason means you can’t go to the polling place
- you can prove that going to the polling booth would cause you serious inconvenience or hardship
- your religion prevents you from voting on a Saturday
To vote in advance, you can
- vote in person at an advance voting place
- fill out ballot papers which can be sent in the mail or collected from you
When you’re voting in advance, you have from the Wednesday 17 days before Election Day up to the Friday before Election Day.
Do I have to vote?
No, it’s up to you. The law says you have to enrol, but you don’t have to vote. If you don’t enrol and there’s no good reason for not doing so, you can be fined up to $100 for a first conviction, and up to $200 for a further conviction.
What is a referendum and what does it do?
A referendum is when voters are asked to vote on a specific law or proposal. It’s usually phrased like a question, and you’re asked either to support or reject the law or proposal. There are different types of referendum:
- Citizens initiated: these happen if 10% of enrolled electors sign a petition to have a referendum on a particular topic. They are non-binding.
- Government initiated: the government has decided to hold a referendum
The government referendums can be either:
- Binding: this means that the results have to be acted on or implemented
- Non-binding: the results don’t have to be acted on or implemented – they indicate to government and the public what people think about the law or proposal
How do I start a Citizens Initiated Referendum?
Any person can initiate a referendum providing they comply with the Citizen Initiated Referenda Act 1993.
To initiate a referendum, you need to submit a proposal to the Clerk of the House of Representatives for approval (there is a fee for this). Once approved, you have 12 months to gather signatures for your petition calling for a referendum. You must have the signatures of at least 10% of all eligible voters in order for it to go ahead.
If you obtain enough signatures, the petition is presented to the House of Representatives and a date is set for the referendum.
For more detailed information see this fact sheet from the Ministry of Justice.