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Electoral Act 1993

The House of Representatives - Chatham Islands

46: Electoral districts for and polling in Chatham Islands

You could also call this:

"Voting areas for the Chatham Islands in New Zealand elections"

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

When it comes to elections, the Chatham Islands are included in a General electoral district and a Maori electoral district. The Representation Commission decides which districts the Chatham Islands are part of, after thinking about the matters in sections 35(3)(f) and 45(6).

The Chatham Islands are treated as part of the General electoral population and Maori electoral population of New Zealand. You are also part of the General electoral population or Maori electoral population of the district you are in, and part of the South Island or North Island population, depending on whether you are part of the General or Maori electoral population.

If the Commission has already decided how many electoral districts there are in the North and South Islands, they can still include the Chatham Islands in a district in a different island. The Commission does not have to change its decision about the number of districts in the North or South Islands just because the Chatham Islands are included in a district in a different island, as stated in sections 35, 45, and 269.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM308516.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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Part 3The House of Representatives
Chatham Islands

46Electoral districts for and polling in Chatham Islands

  1. The area comprised in the Chatham Islands shall be included in such General electoral district and Maori electoral district as the Representation Commission thinks fit, after giving due consideration to the matters contained in sections 35(3)(f) and 45(6).

  2. For the purposes of sections 35, 45, and 269, the General electoral population and Maori electoral population of the Chatham Islands shall be treated—

  3. as part of the General electoral population and Maori electoral population of New Zealand; and
    1. as part of the General electoral population or Maori electoral population, as the case may require, of the General electoral district or Maori electoral district within which the Chatham Islands are included; and
      1. in the case of the General electoral population, as part of the General electoral population of the South Island and, in the case of the Maori electoral population, as part of the Maori electoral population of the North Island.

        1. In any case where the Commission has determined the number of General electoral districts in both the North Island and the South Island, and has, in doing so, applied the provisions of subsection (2)(c),—

        2. the Commission shall not be precluded from including the Chatham Islands in a General electoral district or Maori electoral district, as the case may require, that is located, either in whole or in part, in a different Island to that in which the General electoral population or the Maori electoral population of the Chatham Islands has been included pursuant to subsection (2)(c); and
          1. the Commission shall not, by reason of the application of paragraph (a), reconsider its determination of the number of General electoral districts in either the North Island or the South Island.