Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Electoral Act 1993

Elections - Maintenance of order at elections

194: Manager of polling place to maintain order

You could also call this:

"The person in charge of a voting place must keep it calm and safe."

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

The manager of a polling place is in charge of keeping everything calm and peaceful. You can think of them like a teacher in a classroom, making sure everyone follows the rules. They can ask someone to leave if they are being disorderly or causing trouble, and they can even ask a police officer to arrest someone if they think that person has broken the law, such as committing an offence mentioned in section 201.

If someone is blocking the way to the polling place or being disruptive, the manager can ask them to leave. The manager is also in charge of making sure everyone is following the rules and listening to their instructions.

Police officers have to help the manager of the polling place do their job and keep everything running smoothly.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM310053.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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"The Electoral Commission can fix mistakes in the list of elected members."

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195: Meaning of unforeseen or unavoidable disruption, or

"What happens when something unexpected stops people from voting or disrupts an election"

Part 6Elections
Maintenance of order at elections

194Manager of polling place to maintain order

  1. Every manager of a polling place must maintain order and keep the peace at the polling place, and may, without any other warrant than this Act,—

  2. cause to be arrested and taken before a Justice any person reasonably suspected of committing or attempting to commit at the polling place any of the offences set out in section 201; or
    1. cause to be removed a person who obstructs the approaches to the polling place or wilfully and unnecessarily obstructs the proceedings at the polling or conducts himself or herself in a disorderly manner or causes a disturbance or wilfully acts in any manner in defiance of the lawful directions of the manager of the polling place.

      1. All constables must aid and assist the manager of the polling place in the performance of his or her duty.

      Notes
      • Section 194: substituted, on , by section 78 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).