Electoral Act 1993

Election expenses, donations, and annual financial statements - Election expenses of registered promoters

206ZF: Obligation to retain records necessary to verify return of registered promoter's election expenses

You could also call this:

"Keep records to prove your election expenses are correct"

If you are a registered promoter, you must keep all records and documents that are needed to check the return of your election expenses. You must keep these records until the time limit for starting a prosecution about the return has ended. This time limit is set by the Act, and it applies to the return and any matters related to it.

You can find more information about filing a return under section 206ZC. If you do not keep the necessary records without a good reason, you can be charged with an offence.

If you are found guilty, you can be fined up to $40,000.

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This page was last updated on 18 July 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3489731.

Topics:

Government and voting > ElectionsCrime and justice > Criminal law

206ZE: Offences relating to return of registered promoter's election expenses, or

"Breaking election expense rules can lead to big fines or trouble with the law"

206ZG: Duty of Electoral Commission, or

"The Electoral Commission's job is to report law-breaking to the Police if it's serious."

Part 6AElection expenses, donations, and annual financial statements
Election expenses of registered promoters

206ZFObligation to retain records necessary to verify return of registered promoter's election expenses

A registered promoter must take all reasonable steps to ensure that all records, documents, and accounts that are reasonably necessary to enable a return filed under section 206ZC to be verified are retained until the expiry of the period within which a prosecution may be commenced under this Act in relation to the return or in relation to any matter to which the return relates.
A registered promoter who fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $40,000.

Compare

2007 No 111 s 131

Notes

Section 206ZF: inserted, on 1 January 2011, by section 15 of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 206ZF(2): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).