With the general election approaching, the Electoral Commission is encouraging New Zealanders to get ready to vote.
The 2026 General Election will be held on Saturday 7 November and advance voting will start on Monday 26 October.
You need to be enrolled at your current address by 25 October, the day before voting starts in New Zealand. You will not be able to enrol or update your details at a voting place.
Visit vote.nz or call the Electoral Commission for free on 0800 36 76 56 if you have any questions.
Update your details
Enrolment isn’t something you do once – you need to keep your details up to date.
If you have moved, you need to update your address on the electoral roll. Your address determines which electorate you vote in.
Returning your enrolment form
You can upload, email or post your completed form to the Electoral Commission.
Website upload
You can take a photo of your form and upload it here: Other ways to enrol | Vote NZ,
Email your form to enrol@vote.nz
Post
Post your form to:
Electoral Commission
FREEPOST 2 ENROL
PO BOX 190
Wellington 6140
You can also ask a friend, family member, or support person to help you.
If none of these options work for you, you can free phone the Electoral Commission 0800 36 76 56 and they can see what options are available.
EasyVote
If you enrolled or updated your details by 4 October, you will receive an EasyVote card. This will arrive by email if you have shared your email address with the Commission. If the Commission only has your postal address, you will receive your EasyVote by post.
You don’t need an EasyVote card to vote. It just makes voting a little quicker.
As long as you’re enrolled to vote by midnight, Sunday 25 October, you can vote.
Using your EasyVote card
If you receive your EasyVote card by email, all you need to do is take a device such as a phone or tablet to the voting place and show it to the person issuing your vote.
If it’s easier, take a screenshot of the card. You don’t need to print it out – but you can if you would prefer to.
If you receive it by post, bring it with you when you go to vote.
Remember, you don’t need your EasyVote card to vote – you just need to be enrolled by 25 October.
Electoral Commission staff at the voting place will be able to help you if you have any questions.
Unable to get to a voting place
We provide voting services for people who can’t get to a voting place, for example due to poor health or mobility.
You can authorise someone to pick up your voting papers from a voting place for you, or you may be eligible for dictation voting services or to have your papers couriered to you.
If you are in a care home or rest home and you won’t be able to go to a voting place, you don’t need to contact us. Your local Electorate Manager will contact the manager of your care home or rest home to arrange voting services. Check with your care home or rest home to find out what arrangements they have made for residents to vote.
Call the Electoral Commission team on 0800 36 76 56 or find out more here: Need help to vote? | Vote NZ
Voting places
Some voting places can be quite busy at certain times of the day.
If you’d prefer to vote when it’s quieter, or if you may need assistance, the best times to vote are typically between 9am – 11am and 2pm – 4pm, Monday to Friday.
A list of voting places is available on vote.nz from early October, or you can ring 0800 36 76 56 to find voting places near you. Voting begins on Monday 26 October and runs until election day, Saturday 7 November. You can vote at any time a voting place is open.
