Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Electoral Act 1993

Elections - Preliminary count of votes

174G: Offences in relation to count of early votes conducted before close of poll

You could also call this:

"Breaking the rules about early vote counting on polling day can get you in trouble"

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

If you enter a restricted area on polling day without the Returning Officer's permission, you commit an offence. You can be fined up to $2,000 if you are not a scrutineer and you enter a restricted area without permission. If you are a scrutineer appointed under section 174F, you also commit an offence if you enter a restricted area with a device that can send information outside the area.

You commit an offence if you leave a restricted area on polling day without the Returning Officer's permission. If you are in a restricted area, you must not tell anyone outside the area about the results of a count of early votes conducted under section 174C before the poll closes. This is considered a corrupt practice and you can be guilty of an offence.

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 It might be out of date or be missing some parts.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=DLM309871.

Topics:
Government and voting > ElectionsCrime and justice > Criminal law
Previous

174F: Scrutineers for count of early votes, or

"Who can watch when early votes are counted"

Next

175: Scrutiny of the rolls, or

"Checking the voting rolls to make sure they are correct"

Part 6Elections
Preliminary count of votes

174GOffences in relation to count of early votes conducted before close of poll

  1. Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 who,—

  2. not being a scrutineer appointed under section 174F, enters, on polling day, a restricted area without the express authorisation of the Returning Officer; or
    1. being a scrutineer appointed under section 174F, enters, on polling day, a restricted area with a device that enables information to be conveyed to a person or machine outside the area; or
      1. leaves, on polling day, a restricted area without the express authorisation of the Returning Officer.

        1. Every person commits an offence and is guilty of a corrupt practice who, being or having been in a restricted area, discloses, before the close of the poll, to any person outside the area any information about the results of a count of early votes conducted under section 174C.

        Notes
        • Section 174G: inserted, on , by section 67(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
        • Section 174G(1): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).