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Referendums Framework Bill

Provisions relating to referendum - Counting of votes and declaration of votes

23: Counting of referendum votes

You could also call this:

"How referendum votes are counted and checked"

Illustration for Referendums Framework Bill

When a returning officer gets the parcels of referendum voting papers, they must count the votes. They have to do this as soon as they can, and a Justice of the Peace must be there to watch. The returning officer must count the number of valid votes for each option for each question in the referendum, and also the number of informal votes for each option for each question.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1028650.

Topics:
Government and voting > Elections
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22: Procedure before returning officer starts preliminary count of early votes in general election, or

"Sorting votes before counting starts in a general election"

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24: Return of results of count to Electoral Commission, or

"Sending referendum results to the Electoral Commission after counting"

Part 2Provisions relating to referendum
Counting of votes and declaration of votes

23Counting of referendum votes

  1. As soon as practicable after a returning officer receives the parcels of referendum voting papers, the returning officer must, in the presence of a Justice of the Peace, count the number of—

  2. valid votes cast for each of the options for each question in the referendum; and
    1. informal votes for each of the options for each question in the referendum.