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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Local Electoral Act 2001

4: Principles

You could also call this:

"Key principles for fair local elections"

Illustration for Local Electoral Act 2001

This Act is based on some key principles. You should know that these principles aim to make local elections fair. The Act wants to make sure you have a say in local elections and that your vote counts. It also wants to make sure everyone has an equal chance to vote and be a candidate. When making decisions, local authorities and officials must consider these principles. They must try to follow these principles as much as possible. This section does not change any other rules in the Act or other laws. Local authorities and officials must make sure you can vote in a fair and informed way. They must also make sure you can choose your candidates freely and that your vote is secret. The Act aims to make electoral processes clear and easy to understand, with regular election cycles and independent management of elections. It also wants to make sure electoral systems are transparent and that disputed elections are resolved fairly, as seen in the Local Government Regulatory Systems Amendment Act 2019.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM93308.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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"This law is about making local elections fair and easy to understand."

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5: Interpretation, or

"What special words mean in the Local Electoral Act 2001"

4Principles

  1. The principles that this Act is designed to implement are the following:

  2. representative and substantial electoral participation in local elections and polls:
    1. fair and effective representation for individuals and communities:
      1. all qualified persons have a reasonable and equal opportunity to—
        1. cast an informed vote:
          1. nominate 1 or more candidates:
            1. accept nomination as a candidate:
            2. public confidence in, and public understanding of, local electoral processes through—
              1. the provision of a regular election cycle:
                1. the provision of elections that are managed independently from the elected body:
                  1. protection of the freedom of choice of voters and the secrecy of the vote:
                    1. the provision of transparent electoral systems and voting methods and the adoption of procedures that produce certainty in electoral outcomes:
                      1. the provision of impartial mechanisms for resolving disputed elections and polls.

                      2. Local authorities, electoral officers, and other electoral officials must, in making decisions under this Act or any other enactment, take into account those principles specified in subsection (1) that are applicable (if any), so far as is practicable in the circumstances.

                      3. This section does not override any other provision in this Act or any other enactment.

                      Notes
                      • Section 4(1)(aa): inserted, on , by section 9 of the Local Government Regulatory Systems Amendment Act 2019 (2019 No 6).