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“The Electoral Enrolment Centre has removed more people from the electoral roll in the last month than the total number of people who married and divorced in the past two years*,” says Murray Wicks, National Manager of the Electoral Enrolment Centre.

“That’s a lot of people who won’t be able to vote at election time in October unless they re-enrol.

“Most of these people will have moved house or flat and not updated their details with us,” says Mr Wicks. “We know Kiwis love buying and selling property, but each time they shift they need to keep their details up-to-date to stay on the electoral roll.”

The Electoral Enrolment Centre mailed out enrolment update packs a month ago to all those enrolled to vote.

“By law, we have to take people off the electoral rolls if their enrolment update packs get returned as undeliverable because the person has shifted,” says Mr Wicks.

In the Auckland City Council area over 8,600 people have had their names wiped from the electoral roll. Over 2,800 people in the Hamilton City Council area have had their names removed, in Tauranga another 1,900, in Dunedin the number rises to nearly 3,000 and in Christchurch to over 6,000.

“These people won’t get their voting packs for the local council and district health board elections in the mail unless they re-enrol by 24 August,” says Mr Wicks.

“We are urging people to enrol now. They will get their local elections voting papers sent to them and will be set up well for next year’s general election.”

People can enrol or update their details online. Enrolment forms are also available from 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56), or by freetexting your name and address to 36 76 or at any PostShop.

*source Statistics New Zealand 2006 Marriage, Civil Unions and Divorces