Electoral Act 1993

Registration of electors - Registration

82: Compulsory registration of electors

You could also call this:

"You must register to vote if you can vote in New Zealand"

If you are in New Zealand and can vote, you must apply to the Electoral Commission to register as an elector within one month of being eligible. You can register if you are 17 years old, but you do not have to register until you are 18 years old. If you are outside New Zealand, you can register with the Electoral Commission at any time.

If you are Maori, you can choose to register in either a Maori electoral district or a General electoral district, but not both, and you must choose the one you opted for under section 76. You must follow the rules about registering to vote, or you might get a fine. If you do not register when you are supposed to, you can still register later and you will not get in trouble for not registering earlier.

If you break the rules, you might have to pay a fine of up to $100 for a first offence, or up to $200 for a second or later offence, and you can find more information about this in section 89G. You must apply to register as an elector within one month of certain events, such as when you become eligible to vote or when you stop being on the dormant roll.

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This page was last updated on 18 July 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM308853.

Topics:

Government and voting > Elections

81: Prison manager to forward to Electoral Commission details of prisoners disqualified for registration, or

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83: Application for registration, or

"How to sign up to vote by giving your details to the Electoral Commission"

Part 5Registration of electors
Registration

82Compulsory registration of electors

A person who is qualified to be registered as an elector of any electoral district and who is in New Zealand must apply to the Electoral Commission for registration as an elector—
within 1 month after the date on which he or she first becomes qualified to be registered as an elector:
within 1 month after the date on which he or she ceases to be registered as an elector by reason of the inclusion of his or her name on the dormant roll under section 89G.

Any person aged 17 years or older, but under 18 years, may apply to the Electoral Commission for registration as an elector, and that person is not then required to apply for registration as an elector on attaining the age of 18 years.
A person who is qualified to be registered as an elector of any electoral district and who is outside New Zealand may apply at any time to the Electoral Commission for registration as an elector.
Where a Maori is qualified to be registered as an elector of both a Maori electoral district and a General electoral district, that person may apply for registration as an elector of only one of those districts, being the district in respect of which that person has exercised his or her option under section 76.
A person commits an offence against this section who, being required by this section to apply for registration as an elector during any period, knowingly and wilfully fails to apply.
A person who applies for registration as an elector is not liable to prosecution for his or her earlier failure to apply for registration as an elector.
A person who commits an offence against this section is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding—
$100 on a first conviction; and
$200 on a second or subsequent conviction.

Notes

Section 82: replaced, on 25 March 2014, by section 17 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 8).
Section 82(1): amended, on 21 March 2017, by section 23 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
Section 82(2): amended, on 21 March 2017, by section 23 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
Section 82(3): amended, on 21 March 2017, by section 23 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).