Electoral Act 1993

Elections - Polling disruptions

195B: Alternative voting processes to respond to polling disruption

You could also call this:

"What to do if voting is disrupted at a polling place"

If something unexpected happens at a polling place, the Chief Electoral Officer can use a different voting process. You might be affected if a disruption happens at an advance polling place before polling day or at a polling place on polling day. The Chief Electoral Officer can change some rules to help with the disruption. The Chief Electoral Officer can use alternative voting processes if they think it is the best way to deal with the disruption. They can modify or adapt some requirements, like extending polling hours. For example, they can extend to voters in New Zealand the procedure for the electronic issue of voting papers that is available to voters outside New Zealand. The Chief Electoral Officer has the power to make these changes to ensure voting can still happen. They can do this if they think it is the most efficient way to address the disruption. This helps to make sure you can still vote even if something unexpected happens.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS323973.

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

Topics:

Government and voting > Elections

195A: Adjournment of poll on polling day, or

"Stopping voting on election day if there's a big problem"

195C: Matters Chief Electoral Officer must have regard to when exercising discretion under section 195A or 195B, or

"What the Chief Electoral Officer must think about when making some decisions"

Part 6Elections
Polling disruptions

195BAlternative voting processes to respond to polling disruption

This section applies if—
an unforeseen or unavoidable disruption occurs at 1 or more advance polling places that may reasonably be expected to continue until polling day; or
an unforeseen or unavoidable disruption occurs at 1 or more polling places on polling day.

The Chief Electoral Officer may manage an unforeseen or unavoidable disruption to which this section applies by using alternative voting processes if the Chief Electoral Officer considers that doing so is the most appropriate and efficient way to address the disruption.
The alternative voting processes referred to in subsection (2) may modify or adapt any requirements, processes, or procedures specified by or prescribed under this Act (for example, the Chief Electoral Officer may extend the polling hours, or extend to voters in New Zealand the procedure for the electronic issue of voting papers that is available to voters outside New Zealand).
Repealed

Notes

Section 195B: inserted, on 11 March 2020, by section 17 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 2).
Section 195B(4): repealed, on 20 December 2025, by section 42 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82).