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Electoral Act 1993

Elections - Disposal of ballot papers

189: Disposal of packets

You could also call this:

"What happens to ballot paper packets after the election"

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

When you are dealing with ballot papers, you need to follow some rules about packets and parcels. You must keep them safely for 6 months without opening them, unless a court or the House of Representatives says you can open them. After 6 months, you must destroy the packets and parcels without opening them, and you must do this with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and an Electoral Commissioner present. However, you cannot destroy a packet or parcel if it is needed for an investigation or a prosecution related to the Electoral Act.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM310026.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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"Using special papers as proof in court or meetings"

Part 6Elections
Disposal of ballot papers

189Disposal of packets

  1. The packets and parcels must be safely kept for 6 months unopened, unless a court of competent jurisdiction or the House of Representatives orders them, or any of them, to be opened.

  2. At the end of 6 months, the packets and parcels must be destroyed unopened in the presence of the Clerk of the House of Representatives and an Electoral Commissioner.

  3. Despite subsection (2), a packet or parcel may not be destroyed so long as the packet or parcel is, or may reasonably be expected to be, required for the purposes of an investigation into, or a prosecution of, an offence against this Act.

Notes
  • Section 189: substituted, on , by section 75 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
  • Section 189(2): amended, on , by section 32(2)(a) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).