New Zealand’s election is on October 14, and overseas voting starts this Wednesday. This allows New Zealand citizens and permanent residents living abroad to vote.
How to Vote from Abroad:
- Enrollment: Before voting, you must be enrolled. Currently, about 65,000 people are registered to vote overseas. To enroll, select the New Zealand electorate where you’ve lived for at least one month. First-time Māori descent voters should choose between the general roll or Māori roll. Registration can be done online using a New Zealand passport, driver’s licence, or RealMe identity. The deadline for enrolment is midnight on Friday, October 13 (NZ time).
- Eligibility Changes for 2023: Due to past Covid-related travel restrictions, citizens can now vote if they’ve visited New Zealand in the last six years. Permanent residents need a visit within the last four years. After 2023, it will revert to three years for citizens and 12 months for permanent residents.
- Voting Process: Voting can be done in person if an overseas voting station is nearby. Alternatively, you can request postal voting papers. However, the Electoral Commission recommends downloading, completing, and then uploading the voting papers online. Voting papers are available from September 27. Downloaded documents contain a ballot paper, instructions, and a declaration form.
- Submission: Fill out your voting papers digitally or by printing them. Both the voter and a witness must sign the declaration form. Acceptable witnesses include relatives, registered New Zealand voters, Returning Officer-approved individuals, and more. After signing, scan or photograph your documents and upload them to the Vote NZ website. Ensure clarity and completeness in the images. The deadline for submission is 7pm (NZ time) on October 14.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Not enrolling in time.
- Incomplete or unsigned declaration forms.
- Submitting papers more than once.
- Unclear images of voting documents.
- Late submission of votes.
Votes after 7pm on Election Day won’t be counted. Ensure your vote counts by avoiding these mistakes.
