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Electoral Act 1993

Elections - Offences at elections

198: Power to remove statements, names, emblems, slogans, or logos

You could also call this:

"Removing election signs and symbols from public places on polling day"

Illustration for Electoral Act 1993

On polling day, the Returning Officer can remove certain things from public places. You might see statements that try to influence who you vote for, or statements that tell you not to vote. The Returning Officer can remove these statements, as well as party names, emblems, slogans, or logos, if they are in a public place.

The Returning Officer cannot remove things like ribbons or rosettes that people wear to show their party colours. They also cannot remove party lapel badges that people wear.

If a statement or party symbol was already in a fixed position before polling day, and it is related to a party's headquarters, the Returning Officer cannot remove it, as long as it is not specifically about the election campaign.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM310072.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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"Rules for behaving at early voting places"

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199: Recovery of expenses, or

"Paying back money if you break election rules"

Part 6Elections
Offences at elections

198Power to remove statements, names, emblems, slogans, or logos

  1. The Returning Officer may at any time on polling day before the close of the poll cause to be removed or obliterated—

  2. any statement advising or intended or likely to influence any elector as to the candidate or party for whom the elector should or should not vote; or
    1. any statement advising or intended or likely to influence any elector to abstain from voting; or
      1. any party name, emblem, slogan, or logo,—
          1. which is exhibited in or in view of any public place.

        1. Nothing in subsection (1)(c) shall apply to ribbons, streamers, rosettes, or items of a similar nature which are worn or displayed by any person (whether on his or her person or on any vehicle) in his or her party’s colours or to a party lapel badge worn by any person.

        2. Nothing in subsection (1) shall apply to a statement, party name, emblem, slogan, or logo which does not relate specifically to the election campaign and which was so exhibited before polling day in a fixed position and in relation to the New Zealand or regional or campaign headquarters (not being mobile headquarters) of a political party.