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Electoral Act 1993

Registration of electors - Registration

83: Application for registration

You could also call this:

"How to sign up to vote in New Zealand"

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

You can apply to be on the electoral roll by giving information to the Electoral Commission. You can do this in writing or electronically. You need to give your full name, date of birth, and where you live. If you do not say if you are Maori, it will be treated as if you said you are not. The Electoral Commission can reject your application if it is not complete. If they reject it, it is like you never applied. You can also use a special vote declaration as an application if it has all the right information and is signed. The Electoral Commission will use the information you give them to decide if you can be on the electoral roll.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM308855.

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Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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Part 5Registration of electors
Registration

83Application for registration

  1. An application for registration as an elector may be made to the Electoral Commission—

  2. in writing, by completing and signing a form that the Electoral Commission has approved and returning it to the Electoral Commission; or
    1. in an approved electronic medium, by providing the information necessary to complete the form.

      1. An application for registration as an elector must state, in respect of the person making the application,—

      2. the person's full name; and
        1. the person's date of birth; and
          1. the place of residence in respect of which registration is claimed, specified in a manner that enables it to be clearly identified; and
            1. the person's postal address, if different from the address given under paragraph (c); and
              1. the person’s contact details, if any (for example, the person’s email address or phone numbers); and
                  1. whether or not the person is a Maori; and
                    1. any other particulars that are prescribed in regulations.

                      1. The Electoral Commission may reject an application for registration as an elector if—

                      2. the application is made under subsection (1)(a) and the form is not—
                        1. signed; or
                          1. completed with the details specified in subsection (2)(a), (b), (c), and (h); or
                          2. the application is made under subsection (1)(b) and the information provided does not include the details specified in subsection (2)(a), (b), (c), and (h).

                            1. The Electoral Commission may treat a special vote declaration as an application for registration as an elector if the declaration—

                            2. is in a form approved by the Electoral Commission for use as an application for registration as an elector; and
                              1. is completed by the declarant with the details specified in subsection (2)(a), (b), (c), and (h), and signed.

                                1. If a person does not specify in his or her application whether he or she is a Maori, this Act applies as if the person had specified in his or her application that he or she is not a Maori.

                                2. An application for registration as an elector that is rejected by the Electoral Commission is treated as not having been made.

                                3. Repealed
                                Notes
                                • Section 83: replaced, on , by section 17 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 8).
                                • Section 83(1): amended, on , by section 24(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
                                • Section 83(1)(a): amended, on , by section 24(2)(a) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
                                • Section 83(1)(a): amended, on , by section 24(2)(b) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
                                • Section 83(1)(b): amended, on , by section 24(3) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
                                • Section 83(2)(e): replaced, on , by section 14 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82).
                                • Section 83(2)(f): repealed, on , by section 14 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82).
                                • Section 83(3): amended, on , by section 24(4) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
                                • Section 83(3)(a): amended, on , by section 24(5) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
                                • Section 83(3A): inserted, on , by section 5 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 2).
                                • Section 83(5): amended, on , by section 24(6) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
                                • Section 83(6): repealed, on , by section 24(7) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).