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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Electoral Act 1993

The House of Representatives - Persons qualified to vote

60: Who may vote

You could also call this:

"Who is allowed to vote in New Zealand elections"

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

You can vote if you are on the main roll or supplementary roll for the district and are qualified to be an elector. You must be qualified to vote in the district where you live. Some people can vote even if they are not on the roll, like those who apply to register on polling day.

You can also vote if you were registered as an elector in the last election, or if you have applied to register since then. This includes people who live on Campbell Island or Raoul Island, as stated in section 74. Members of the Defence Force who are outside New Zealand can vote if they are 18 or over and used to live in the district.

Some people can register to vote on polling day, like those who are qualified to be an elector and are in New Zealand. You must meet certain rules to be able to vote, and these rules are in place to make sure voting is fair. You have to be qualified to vote in the district where you want to vote.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM308564.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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Part 3The House of Representatives
Persons qualified to vote

60Who may vote

  1. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the following persons, and no others, shall be qualified to vote at any election in any district, namely,—

  2. any person whose name lawfully appears on the main roll or any supplementary roll for the district and who is qualified to be registered as an elector of the district:
    1. any person—
      1. who is qualified to be registered as an elector of the district; and
        1. who is registered as an elector of the district as a result of having applied for registration as an elector of the district before polling day:
        2. any person who is qualified to be registered as an elector of the district, and was at the time of the last preceding election duly registered as an elector of the district or, where a change of boundaries has intervened, of some other district in which his or her then place of residence within the first-mentioned district was then situated:
          1. any person—
            1. who is qualified to be registered as an elector of the district; and
              1. who is registered as an elector of the district as a result of having applied, since the last preceding election and before polling day, for registration as an elector of the district or, where a change of boundaries has intervened, of some other district in which that person’s then place of residence within the first-mentioned district was then situated:
              2. any person who is qualified to be registered as an elector of the district pursuant to section 74 and who resides on Campbell Island or Raoul Island or has resided on either of those Islands at any time in the 1 month before polling day:
                1. any member of the Defence Force who is outside New Zealand, if he or she is or will be of or over the age of 18 years on polling day, and his or her place of residence immediately before he or she last left New Zealand is within the district:
                  1. any person present in New Zealand who—
                    1. is qualified to be registered as an elector of the district; and
                      1. applies, on polling day, for registration as an elector of the district.

                      Notes
                      • Section 60(a): substituted, on , by section 13(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61).
                      • Section 60(b): substituted, on , by section 13(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61).
                      • Section 60(c): substituted, on , by section 13(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61).
                      • Section 60(d): substituted, on , by section 13(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61).
                      • Section 60(f): amended, on , by section 13(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61).
                      • Section 60(g): inserted, on , by section 4 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 2).