Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Electoral Act 1993

Registration of electors - Registration

89: Procedure following application for registration

You could also call this:

"What happens after you apply to be on the electoral roll"

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

When you apply to be registered as an elector, the Electoral Commission checks if you are qualified to be registered. If the Electoral Commission is satisfied that you are qualified, they must enter your name on the roll. The Electoral Commission looks at your application and decides if you can be registered. If you exercise the Māori option in your application, the Electoral Commission checks if they can give effect to it, as per sections 78A to 78C.

If the Electoral Commission receives your application before the issue of a writ, but cannot confirm if you are already registered in another district, they must include your name on the main, supplementary, or composite roll printed as at writ day. The Electoral Commission then checks again within six days after writ day to see if you should be on the roll. They decide whether to enter your name on the electoral roll or delete it from the main, supplementary, or composite roll.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM308877.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
Previous

88: Applications received after issue of writ, or

"Registering to vote after the election has been announced"

Next

89A: Notice of registration, or

"You get a notice in the mail after you sign up to vote."

Part 5Registration of electors
Registration

89Procedure following application for registration

  1. If the Electoral Commission is satisfied that any applicant for registration as an elector (whether by transfer from another district, or otherwise) is qualified to be registered, the Electoral Commission must enter the name of the applicant on the roll.

  2. If on receiving any application that includes the exercise of the Māori option the Electoral Commission believes that it is prevented, by any of sections 78A to 78C, from giving effect to the option, the Electoral Commission must—

  3. notify the applicant of the reason why the exercise of the Māori option cannot be given effect to until a later date and advise what that date is; and
    1. advise the applicant whether they are entitled to be registered as an elector in another type of district.

      1. Where an application for registration as an elector has been received before the issue of a writ and it has not been possible for the Electoral Commission to ascertain, at the time of the issue of the writ, whether the applicant is currently registered as an elector of another electoral district, the Electoral Commission must, subject to subsection (4), include the name of the applicant on any main, supplementary, or composite roll printed as at writ day.

      2. Notwithstanding anything in this Act, where the Electoral Commission has, under subsection (3), included the name of any person on any main, supplementary, or composite roll printed as at writ day, the Electoral Commission must, within 6 days after writ day determine, either—

      3. to enter the name of the applicant on the electoral roll; or
        1. to delete the name of the applicant from that main, supplementary, or composite roll.

          Notes
          • Section 89 (former section 87): renumbered, on , by section 18 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 8).
          • Former section 89: repealed, on , by section 21 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 8).
          • Section 89(1): amended, on , by section 27(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
          • Section 89(1): amended, on , by section 27(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
          • Section 89(2): replaced, on , by section 8 of the Electoral (Māori Electoral Option) Legislation Act 2022 (2022 No 62).
          • Section 89(3): amended, on , by section 27(4)(a) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
          • Section 89(3): amended, on , by section 27(4)(b) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
          • Section 89(4): amended, on , by section 27(5)(a) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).
          • Section 89(4): amended, on , by section 27(5)(b) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 9).