On this page, you can find out about:
- the Election Access Fund Act 2020
- the purpose of the Fund
- how the Fund is administered.
The Act
The Election Access Fund Act 2020 came into force on 1 July 2021. You can find out more about the Act here Election Access Fund Act 2020 – New Zealand Legislation
The purpose of the Fund
The Fund supports disabled people to stand as candidates in parliamentary general elections and by-elections.
The purpose of the Fund is to reduce cost barriers by covering disability-related costs which non-disabled candidates do not face.
The Fund covers both seeking selection to be a candidate, and campaigning as a candidate.
The Fund pays for additional costs that candidates incur as a result of their disability when organising and preparing to stand for Parliamentary elections.
The Fund does not cover local body elections.
How the Fund is administered
The Electoral Commission (the Commission) administers the Fund under the Election Access Fund Act 2020.
The Commission initially set up the Fund in consultation with disabled people, disabled people’s organisations, political parties, and other interested people and organisations. This informed who could apply to the Fund, the types of things the Fund would cover and how the Fund could operate.