Voting in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election begins on Monday 25 August. Your last chance to vote is on election day, Saturday 6 September.
The by-election is to select a member of Parliament to represent the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate.
Only those who are enrolled in the Māori electorate of Tāmaki Makaurau can vote in the by-election.
Tāmaki Makaurau electorate
The Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate stretches across Auckland from the Waitākere Ranges to Bucklands Beach. It includes most of the southern and eastern suburbs and Waiheke Island. It does not include the North Shore.
Why is a by-election being held?
The by-election is being held to elect a member of Parliament for the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate following the passing of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp.
Who can vote in the by-election
To vote, you need to be enrolled in the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate. Māori enrolled on the general roll cannot change to the Māori roll to vote in the by-election after 9 July.
If you’re Māori and not enrolled, you can choose either the Māori roll or general roll. You need to have lived in the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate for at least one month and be enrolled on the Māori roll to vote in the by-election.
You must enrol if you’re 18 years or older, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident, and you’ve lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more at some time in your life.
How do I enrol?
You can enrol or update your details online at vote.nz using a New Zealand driver licence, New Zealand passport or RealMe verified identity.
You can also fill out an enrolment form. You can get a form online at vote.nz, by calling 0800 36 76 56, or by texting your name and address to 3676. If you need help to fill in your enrolment form, you can ask someone else to help you, or contact us if you have any questions.
You can enrol and vote at any voting place, including on election day, but you will also need to cast a special vote which takes longer.
Voting in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election
Voting in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election opens on Monday 25 August and closes on election day, Saturday 6 September.
The days and times that advance voting places are open vary, so check vote.nz before you go. On election day, Saturday 6 September, voting places will be open from 9am to 7pm.
You will get an EasyVote pack in the mail if you enrolled by Wednesday 30 July. This pack will include your personalised EasyVote card. Your EasyVote card will make voting faster.
Information about where and when to vote, and who you can vote for is available in your EasyVote pack, at vote.nz or by calling 0800 36 76 56.
How to vote
At the voting place, election workers will show you what to do and where to go.
If you have an EasyVote card, take it with you when you go to vote and give it to the person issuing your voting paper. It will help them find you on the electoral roll.
If you do not have an EasyVote card, you will need to tell the person issuing your vote your name and address.
In a by-election, you have one vote for the candidate you most want to be your local member of Parliament. This is different from a general election where you have two votes – one for a party and the other for your local candidate.
The candidate with the most votes in your electorate becomes your electorate MP.
On your voting paper, place a tick by the name of the candidate you would most like to represent the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate.
Once you have made your choice, place your voting paper in the ballot box. And that is it, you have voted!
Need help to vote?
If you are unable to verbally give the issuing officer your name you can confirm it by writing it down, gesturing, or a friend, family member or support person can confirm your name for you.
If you need help to read or mark your voting paper, a friend, family member or an electoral official at the voting place can help. That person can go behind the voting screen with you and can read out the words and information on the voting paper. They can also mark the voting paper for you according to your instructions. They can’t tell you who you should vote for.
If you have a hearing impairment and need assistance, tell someone who works at the voting place. There will be someone there to assist you if you need it.
Can’t get to a voting place?
If you can’t get to a voting place, for example, because of illness, age or disability, you can get help to vote. You can authorise someone to pick up your voting papers from a voting place for you. They can return your voting papers to any voting place before 7pm on election day, Saturday 6 September.
If you’re in a care home, the Electorate Manager will contact your care home to arrange voting services.
If you can’t get to a voting place because you’re in hospital, from Monday 25 August, a friend or whānau member can bring you your voting papers.
Voting from overseas
You can vote from overseas in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election from Wednesday 20 August until 7pm, Saturday 6 September (NZ time).
You can vote from overseas if you are enrolled in the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate and you are a New Zealand citizen who has been in New Zealand within the last 3 years; or you are a New Zealand permanent resident who has been in New Zealand within the last 12 months.
If you’re voting from overseas, you must be enrolled by midnight, Friday 5 September (NZ time).
The easiest and quickest way to vote from overseas is to download, complete and upload your voting papers at vote.nz.
You may also be able to vote in person at an overseas voting place in London, Brisbane or Sydney, or ask them for postal voting papers to be sent to you.
Vote before you go
If you’ll be in New Zealand when advance voting starts on Monday 25 August, it is easier to vote before you go overseas.
More information
For more information about enrolling and voting in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election: · visit vote.nz [or this link https://vote.nz/]
· call 0800 36 76 56 or +64 9 909 4182 (from overseas – international call rates may apply)
