In this article
- Do I have to enrol?
- How do I know if I am enrolled?
- How can I enrol online?
- What languages can I get information about enrolling and voting in?
- How can I confirm my identity?
- How do I record or update my details?
- How can I return an enrolment form?
- My name has a macron or special character in it. Will it work?
- What other methods are there to enrol?
- Can I enrol from overseas?
- Are prisoners eligible to enrol?
Do I have to enrol?
Yes. If you live in New Zealand and you’re eligible, you must enrol. However, voting is not compulsory in New Zealand.
How do I know if I am enrolled?
You can check your details online at vote.nz or by calling 0800 36 76 56.
How can I enrol online?
Anyone who is eligible to enrol and has a New Zealand driver licence, New Zealand passport or a RealMe verified identity can enrol or update their enrolment details online.
As part of the process, you will need to supply a phone number and email address to enrol online. These details will remain private. If you do not wish to supply email and/or phone details, you can download and print a paper enrolment form (see “What other methods are there to enrol?” below).
What languages can I get information about enrolling and voting in?
Information about enrolling and voting is available at vote.nz in 27 different languages (scroll down to the section “I want information in”).
Some voting places may also have interpreters for select languages. You can contact your local Returning Officer to ask about this.
How can I confirm my identity?
Because we don’t have access to your signature if you enrol online, we use other means to verify your identity. This can be through accessing details from your New Zealand driver licence, New Zealand passport, or a RealMe verified identity. The verification information you provide online replaces the signed declaration that would be used on the downloadable enrolment form.
These are the only three methods available online to confirm your identity. You cannot use an 18-plus card.
You can use a New Zealand driver’s licence or passport that is up to 12 months out of date to confirm your identity. Any older documents will need to be re-issued before they can be used for online enrolment.
How do I record or update my details?
Whichever way you choose to enrol or update your details, checks are made to ensure you are eligible and correctly enrolled at the right address. You will receive a letter of confirmation in the mail.
If you are studying away from home, you should enrol to vote at the address you consider home. It could be your family home, or the address you’re living at while you study.
If you are homeless, you can enrol at an address where you spend a substantial part of your time. You can also enrol at the last residential address where you lived for at least one month. You’ll also need to provide a postal address so that we can send you information about your enrolment and elections in the mail. It could be a friend or family member’s address, or a PO Box number.
Our online enrolment does not currently support entering names with diacritics (macron, grave, cedilla, etc). If your name is normally spelled with a diacritic, please type the letter without. Entering your name in this way will not affect your enrolment.
Updates to your enrolment details may take a few days to process. Your local Registrar of Electors needs to receive, check and process your form before your details can be updated. You’ll get an email to confirm that your enrolment details have been updated.
How can I return an enrolment form?
We will send you a freepost envelope with your enrolment form so you can return it easily. You can also:
• Scan or photograph your enrolment form and upload it at https://vote.nz/upload
• Scan or photograph and email your enrolment form to enrol@vote.nz
• Mail it to:
Enrolment Services
PO Box 190
Wellington 6140
NEW ZEALAND
My name has a macron or special character in it. Will it work?
Our online enrolment system does not currently support entering names with diacritics (macron, grave, cedilla, etc). If your name is normally spelled with a diacritic, please type the letter without. Entering your name in this way will not affect your enrolment.
What other methods are there to enrol?
If you don't have regular access to the internet, or the right identification details (New Zealand drivers license, New Zealand passport or RealMe ID) to accompany an online enrolment, you can still enrol in other ways.
You can enrol or update your details by filling in an enrolment form. Call 0800 36 76 56 or text your name and address to 3676 to have one sent to you. You can pick up an enrolment form at a Citizen's Advice Bureau, most public libraries, and Electoral Commission offices.
Can I enrol from overseas?
You can enrol and vote from overseas if all the following statements are true:
- you are 18 years or older
- you’ve lived in New Zealand for more than 12 months continuously at some time in your life
- you are one of the following: a New Zealand citizen who’s visited New Zealand within the last 3 years; a New Zealand permanent resident who’s visited New Zealand within the last 12 months; a citizen of the Cook Islands, Australia, Niue or Tokelau once you’ve lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more.
Your electorate will be where you last lived for one month or more. Enrolling from overseas is not compulsory — it’s your choice whether you enrol.
Are prisoners eligible to enrol?
Prisoners serving a sentence fewer than three years will be entitled to enrol and vote, as are people on remand, home detention or serving a community-based sentence.