Nau mai Welcome to the Electoral Commission

Supporting you to trust, value, understand and take part in New Zealand's democracy

Our system of government

Each voter has a say in who represents them in Parliament and in local government.

MMP is the voting system we use in New Zealand. It stands for ‘Mixed Member Proportional’.

A by-election is held to fill a vacant electorate seat — for example, if a member of Parliament resigns.

A referendum is a vote on a question.

Citizens or the government can start referendums.

In local elections, you choose who represents you on your councils and health boards.

If you’re enrolled, you can vote in local elections where you live.

The Māori Electoral Option lets voters of Māori descent choose which electoral roll they want to be on.

Spread the word about enrolling and voting around your community.

From the Ancient Greek δῆμος (dêmos, “the people”) and κράτος (krátos, “power, rule”)

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