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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

If you apply to be registered as an elector, the Electoral Commission checks if you are qualified. The Electoral Commission must add your name to the roll if you are qualified. You can be registered if you are 17 years old and will turn 18 before polling day. If you change your address to a new electoral district, you can still be registered. The Electoral Commission will add your name to the roll for your new district. This happens if you tell them before the close of registration and you would have lived in the new district for at least a month by polling day. When you apply to register, the Electoral Commission checks if you can be registered in another district. They must tell you if you can be registered in another district and why you cannot be registered in the one you chose. The Electoral Commission follows rules from sections like section 89C(2) and sections 78A to 78C to decide. If the Electoral Commission is not sure if you are registered in another district, they will add your name to the roll. Then, they must decide within 6 days if you should stay on the roll or be removed. They will check the rules and make a decision about your registration.

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

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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, before the close of registration, the Electoral Commission receives an application for registration as an elector from a person who is aged 17 years and who attains the age of 18 years in the period between the close of registration and the close of polling day, the Electoral Commission must, at the close of registration, on being satisfied the person is qualified to be registered as an elector but for their age,—

  3. treat the person as qualified to be registered as an elector; and
    1. enter the person’s name on the roll.

      1. After receiving a notice under section 89C(2) from an elector that they have changed their place of residence to a different electorate (a new electoral district), the Electoral Commission must treat the elector as qualified to be registered as an elector of the new electoral district and enter the elector’s name on the roll for the new electoral district in advance of the elector having resided in that district for a period equalling or exceeding 1 month if—

      2. the notice was received before the close of registration; and
        1. the elector would have resided in the new electoral district for a period equalling or exceeding 1 month by the close of polling day (whether or not the elector in fact continues to reside in the electoral district during the period between the close of registration and polling day).

          1. 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—

          2. 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(1A): inserted, on , by section 8 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82).
                  • Section 89(1B): inserted, on , by section 8 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82).
                  • 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).