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Electoral Commission ready to make voting easy in the Mana electorate

Oct 4, 2010 | Media release

The Electoral Commission is taking steps to make voting as easy as possible in the Mana Parliamentary by-election on Saturday 20 November, 2010.

The naming of the date for the by-election means the Electoral Commission can move ahead with the behind the scenes activity needed to run the election, and to deliver a good service to voters.

“Work is underway to secure the 44 polling places and staff and to prepare polling place supplies ready for distribution so Mana voters can vote close to home on Saturday 20 November,” says Robert Peden, Chief Electoral Officer.

“One thing voters can do right now to make it easy on themselves when they vote is to get enrolled at their correct address. All Mana voters correctly enrolled in time will get an EasyVote card to take when they vote.”

The EasyVote card is an important feature of the by-election, and people are urged to enrol to vote as quickly as possible so they can receive their EasyVote card in the mail before they vote.

“We will be working in the community to ensure voters enrolled in the electorate know the major differences between this by-election and the 2008 General Election,” says Mr Peden. “Only people enrolled in the Mana electorate are able to vote in the by-election. They have only one vote - for their electorate MP. There is no Party Vote.”

The Electoral Commission expects to provide a similar number and location of polling places for the Mana by-election as was provided for the electorate on election day in 2008.

Voters unable to vote at a polling place in the Mana electorate on election day will be able to vote at an advance voting place before election day. Polling places will only be available inside the electorate on election day.

20 NOVEMBER 2010 MANA PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION TIMETABLE
Monday 4 October	By-election date announced
	Lists of people enrolled in the Mana electorate as at 20 August available for public inspection at PostShops and libraries in the electorate Enrolment drive for Mana by-election underway
Wednesday 20 October	Writ Day Governor General issues direction to the Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election in Mana Last day for enrolment before Electoral Rolls close for printing. Voters enrolled after this date cast a special declaration vote
Thursday 21 October	Nominations open for candidates in the Mana by-election
Wednesday 27 October Noon Deadline 4.00pm Target	Nominations close for candidates in the Mana by-election Mana by-election candidates announced by the Electoral Commission Information on where to vote available from www.elections.org.nz
Wednesday 3 November 2010	Advance Voting starts in the Mana electorate and at Registrars of Electors Offices around the country Overseas Voting starts
Saturday 13 November 2010	EasyVote information packs available for those enrolled in the Mana electorate
Friday 19 November 2010	Enrolments close All political advertising ceases and election signs taken down by midnight
Saturday 20 November 2010	Mana By-election held Polling places open from 9.00am to 7.00pm. Polling places will be located in the Mana electorate Preliminary Results progressively available from 7.00pm on www.electionresults.govt.nz. Targets for release are: - by 7.30pm all advance vote results - by 9.00pm results from 50% of polling places - by 10.00pm results from 100% of polling places. These are targets not guarantees.
Wednesday 1 December 2010 Noon Target	Official Results declared (including special declaration and overseas votes)
Monday 6 December	Deadline for applications for judicial recount
Thursday 9 December	Return of Writ by Electoral Commission naming successful candidate (presuming no recount)

20 NOVEMBER 2010 MANA PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION TIMETABLE

Monday 4 October

By-election date announced

Lists of people enrolled in the Mana electorate as at 20 August available for public inspection at PostShops and libraries in the electorate

Enrolment drive for Mana by-election underway

Wednesday

20 October

Writ Day

Governor General issues direction to the Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election in Mana

Last day for enrolment before Electoral Rolls close for printing. Voters enrolled after this date cast a special declaration vote

Thursday

21 October

Nominations open for candidates in the Mana by-election

Wednesday

27 October

Noon Deadline

4.00pm Target

Nominations close for candidates in the Mana by-election

Mana by-election candidates announced by the Electoral Commission

Information on where to vote available from www.elections.org.nz

Wednesday

3 November 2010

Advance Voting starts in the Mana electorate and at Registrars of Electors Offices around the country

Overseas Voting starts

Saturday

13 November 2010

EasyVote information packs available for those enrolled in the Mana electorate

Friday

19 November 2010

Enrolments close

All political advertising ceases and election signs taken down by midnight

Saturday

20 November 2010

Mana By-election held

Polling places open from 9.00am to 7.00pm.

Polling places will be located in the Mana electorate

Preliminary Results progressively available from 7.00pm on www.electionresults.govt.nz. Targets for release are:

- by 7.30pm all advance vote results

- by 9.00pm results from 50% of polling places

- by 10.00pm results from 100% of polling places.

These are targets not guarantees.

Wednesday

1 December 2010

Noon Target

Official Results declared (including special declaration and overseas votes)

Monday

6 December

Deadline for applications for judicial recount

Thursday

9 December

Return of Writ by Electoral Commission naming successful candidate (presuming no recount)

New Electoral Commission in place

Mana by-election media kit