Chair expresses confidence in Electoral Commission
The new Chair of the Electoral Commission says he has full confidence in the work underway to prepare for the next election.
Hon Justice Simon Moore KC took up the appointment as Board Chair on 18 November 2024.
“A few months into the role, I am impressed by the dedication of the people at the Commission led by Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne.
“The use of Manurewa Marae as a voting place at the last election has been questioned.
“This was thoroughly considered as part of the Justice Committee’s inquiry into the 2023 General Election. We’ve heard the concerns, and at the annual review of the Electoral Commission in December, we acknowledged that we’d got it wrong.
“In response we are reviewing guidance for the selection of voting places to ensure they meet community needs and are also politically neutral. The Board expects to sign off on these guidelines soon.”
Work continues to address the recommendations in the Auditor-General’s report on the 2023 General Election and to be well prepared for the next election.
“Another aspect of our work is the readiness of our systems, and I have had assurance that we can scale up to deliver an election when it is required.”
Simon Moore says he is looking forward to the work ahead.
“It’s critical that people can have trust and confidence in our elections, and I’m committed to ensuring that happens.”