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Electoral Act 1993

Elections - Preliminary count of votes

174E: Maintenance of secrecy of count of early votes

You could also call this:

"Keeping early vote counting secret"

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

On polling day, you are not allowed to enter a restricted area without permission from the Returning Officer, unless you are a scrutineer appointed under section 174F. If you do enter a restricted area, you cannot leave until the poll closes, unless the Returning Officer says you can. The Electoral Commission can give instructions to Returning Officers to help keep the count of early votes secret.

You must follow these instructions if you are helping with the count. The Returning Officer must make sure you know what the instructions are.

The Returning Officer and everyone helping with the count must follow the instructions given by the Electoral Commission.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM309867.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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174D: Conditions for counting early votes before close of poll, or

"Counting early votes before election day: what you need to know"

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174F: Scrutineers for count of early votes, or

"Who can watch when early votes are counted"

Part 6Elections
Preliminary count of votes

174EMaintenance of secrecy of count of early votes

  1. On polling day, no person (other than a scrutineer appointed under section 174F) may, without the express authorisation of the Returning Officer, enter a restricted area.

  2. On polling day, a person who enters, whether with or without authorisation, a restricted area may not leave the area before the close of the poll without the express authorisation of the Returning Officer.

  3. The Electoral Commission may issue instructions to Returning Officers setting further requirements for the purpose of maintaining the secrecy of counts conducted before the close of the poll.

  4. The Returning Officer must ensure that all persons who take part in the counts conducted before the close of the poll are familiar with any instructions issued under subsection (3), and the Returning Officer and those persons must comply with those instructions.

Notes
  • Section 174E: inserted, on , by section 67(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
  • Section 174E(3): amended, on , by section 32(1)(a) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).