Responsibility for Electoral Enrolment Moves to Electoral Commission
From 1 July 2012 statutory responsibility for enrolment functions moved from the Electoral Enrolment Centre of NZ Post Ltd to the Electoral Commission.
The Commission has engaged NZ Post Ltd under a long-term contract to deliver its enrolment functions under statutory delegation and direction from the Commission.
This completes the Government’s programme to establish a single electoral agency responsible for all aspects of parliamentary electoral administration begun after the 2008 election.
“The creation of a single electoral agency will allow for the first time the development of a single strategy and more integrated approach to the administration of all aspects of Parliamentary elections,” says Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden. “However, it will not impact on the day-to-day delivery of enrolment services. People will still contact us in the same way they always have – through our website www.elections.org.nz or freephone 0800 36 76 56.”
The amalgamation of the electoral agencies was designed in two phases to minimise disruption to the delivery of electoral services to New Zealanders, including delivery of the 2011 general election and referendum.
Phase 1 consisted of amalgamating the former Electoral Commission and the Chief Electoral Office into the new Electoral Commission on 1 October 2010, in accordance with the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010.
Phase 2 involved transferring to the Electoral Commission on 1 July 2012 the statutory responsibility for enrolment functions (governed by Part 5 of the Electoral Act 1993) in accordance with the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2011.