Electoral Act 1993

Registration of electors - Change of address

89CA: Electoral Commission updating elector’s address on electoral roll without receipt of notice from elector

You could also call this:

"The Electoral Commission can update your address on the electoral roll without you asking them."

The Electoral Commission can update your address on the electoral roll without you telling them. They do this if they get information from somewhere else that says you live somewhere different from what is on the roll. They will write to you to tell you what they think your new address is. If your new address is in the same area where you are registered, the Electoral Commission will update your address on the electoral roll for that area. They will tell you that they are going to do this and give you 28 days to say if it is correct or not. If your new address is in a different area, the Electoral Commission will remove your name from the roll in the old area and add it to the roll in the new area. The Electoral Commission will then write to you to confirm that they have updated your address. You are considered an elector if you are 17 or older and have applied to register as an elector. The Electoral Commission has to follow certain rules when updating your address, which are outlined in section 263B and section 94A.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1563476.

This page was last updated on 14 January 2026 — View changes

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89C: Elector must give notice of change of place of residence to different electoral district, or

"Tell the Electoral Commission if you move to a new area"

89CB: Electoral Commission may remove person’s name from dormant roll and register person as elector, or

"The Electoral Commission can move you to the main electoral roll if they think you should vote in your area."

Part 5Registration of electors
Change of address

89CAElectoral Commission updating elector’s address on electoral roll without receipt of notice from elector

This section applies if, on the basis of information disclosed to it pursuant to section 263B, the Electoral Commission is satisfied that an elector’s current place of residence is different from that recorded on the electoral roll.
The Electoral Commission may notify the elector in writing of the following matters:
that the Electoral Commission believes that the electoral roll does not correctly record the elector’s current place of residence:
the address that the Electoral Commission is satisfied is the elector’s current place of residence (the elector’s new address):
in the case that the elector’s new address is located in the electoral district in which the elector is registered, that the Electoral Commission proposes to amend the electoral roll for the district in which the elector is registered to record the elector’s new address:
in the case that the elector’s new address is located in a different electoral district from that in which the elector is registered, that the Electoral Commission proposes to remove the elector’s name and particulars from the electoral roll for the district in which the elector is registered (district A) and enter the elector’s name and particulars on the electoral roll for the district in which the elector’s new address is located (district B), which is—
1. a Māori electoral district if district A was a Māori electoral district; or
2. a General electoral district if district A was a General electoral district:
that the proposed action in paragraph (c) or (d) will be taken after the expiry of 28 days from the date the notification is sent (the notice period) unless before the end of the notice period the elector provides in writing such evidence as may be necessary to satisfy the Electoral Commission that the proposed action should not be taken.

If the Electoral Commission takes the proposed action described in subsection (2)(c), the Electoral Commission must notify the elector, in accordance with section 94A, of the amendment made to the electoral roll.
If the Electoral Commission takes the proposed action described in subsection (2)(d), the Electoral Commission must, no later than 14 days after entering the elector’s name and particulars on the electoral roll for district B, notify the elector in writing that—
their name has been removed from the electoral roll for district A; and
they are registered as an elector of district B.

In this section, elector includes any person of or over the age of 17 years who has had an application to register as an elector accepted by the Electoral Commission.

Notes

Section 89CA: inserted, on 20 December 2025, by section 27 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82).