Commission contacting some people with residence class visas
The Electoral Commission has identified an issue with how enrolment eligibility is processed in the Commission’s enrolment system.
“Some people with residence class visas who have applied to enrol have been asked to provide information on their immigration status when they didn’t need to. Initial assessments indicate a maximum of 6,800 people may have been affected,” says Karl Le Quesne, Chief Electoral Officer.
“We will be contacting people who have been requested to provide additional information to advise them that their enrolment application is sufficient and they can cast a valid special vote. We acknowledge that this has added an extra step for these people.
“We are investigating this further and treating the matter with urgency,” says Karl Le Quesne.
“Anyone that is eligible to enrol who applied before the 25 October enrolment deadline can still cast a special vote. We encourage anyone who is concerned to get in touch with us.
“We have been working hard to ensure every eligible voter has had the opportunity to enrol and vote and will continue to do so. We are making it a priority to resolve this issue,” says Karl Le Quesne.
People can contact the Commission on freephone 0800 36 76 56 or send an email to enquiries@elections.govt.nz
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to vote in New Zealand, you must be 18 years or older, a New Zealand citizen or a resident for electoral purposes, and have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more at some time in your life.
You're a resident for electoral purposes if you’re living in New Zealand lawfully and you're not required to leave within a specified time.