Voting Last Minute?
Voices For Freedom (VFF) have put together a handy guide for those voting late – voting closes at midday, Saturday 8 October 2022.
It’s important to note that the last day for posting your vote has been and gone, you’ll now need to hand deliver your completed voting papers to council ballot boxes in your area.
Who Should I vote for?
Who you vote for is up to you. VFF have produced a comprehensive list of resources on their website to help you make your decisions. This includes:
A PDF with easy links to all regions with every candidate standing;
VFF Local Body Elections Candidate Survey results;
Third party surveys: Taxpayers Union, Free Speech Union, Policy NZ, a link to the Federated Farmers election platform PDF;
How to vote recommendations: If you’re voting in a first past the post (FPP) election, you’ll be ticking boxes next to your preferred candidates’ names and the winner will be the candidate(s) who receive the most votes. If you’re voting in a single transferable vote (STV) election, you’ll be ranking your candidates. Remember, we recommend you only tick or rank candidates you support. Leave the remaining boxes blank.
The following is last-minute voting help for the largest population areas in New Zealand. Please refer to your own council information if your council area is not listed below.
Note: VFF have more detailed information on Auckland at the bottom of this page.
For information about who to vote for (survey results and more) and the different voting systems click HERE.
Q1: I have filled out my voting papers, now what?
Check below to see where you can go to drop off your papers. (In general this is all main Council Office buildings plus local libraries plus some other locations which vary by region eg in Auckland a lot of Countdowns have ballot boxes.)
Visit locations and drop your papers in the ballot box.
Give yourself a high five for participating.
Q2: I didn’t receive my papers, what can I do?
Check to see if you are enrolled to vote.
If you’re not enrolled: enrol to vote.
Get your special voting papers (see Q3 below).
Q3: I lost my papers, the dog ate my papers, I can’t access my papers, what can I do?
Check below for where to go to collect your special voting forms.
Fill out the declaration carefully: NB there are a number of options available for why you are doing a special vote. You tick a box or boxes to choose one or more reason. The most likely reason that covers several options would be: “I have spoilt, lost or not received my ordinary voting documents.”
Drop off your papers. (See Q1 above for where to go.)
Auckland
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off
- Where to collect special vote forms: Visit this page to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms
Scroll to the bottom of the page for additional Auckland information.
Far North
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Visit this page to find where to drop off your voting papers
- Where to collect special vote forms: Scroll to “Didn’t receive your voting papers? Request a special vote” to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms.
Whakatane
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Visit this page and scroll to “Return of voting documents” to find where to drop off your voting papers
- Where to collect special vote forms: Visit this page to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms
Hamilton
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “Where to Vote” to find where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Select “No Voting Pack? No Problem” to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms.
New Plymouth
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “List of Ballot Box locations and hours” to find where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Scroll to “Special votes” to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms.
Taupo
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “How to vote” to find where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Select “Special voting” to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms.
Hastings
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “Where Can I Vote?” to find out where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Select “What is Special Voting?” to find out where to get special voting forms.
Palmerston North
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “Where to drop off your vote“ to find where to drop off your voting papers –
- Where to collect special vote forms: Visit this page to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms.
Whanganui
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “How does voting work?” to find where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: If you need to cast a special vote you can visit the council’s customer service centre at 101 Guyton Street between Friday 16 September 2022 to noon on Saturday 8 October 2022
Wellington
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Visit this page to find out where to drop your voting papers
- Where to collect special vote forms: Scroll to “Special voting” to find out where to get special voting forms.
Nelson
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “Where to vote?” to find out where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Select “Special vote” to find out where to get special voting forms.
Marlborough
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: to find where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Please review this Media Statement to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms
Christchurch
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “Voting and special voting” to find out where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Scroll to “Special voting” to find out where to get special voting forms.
Dunedin
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll down to “Dropping your completed voting papers off” to find out where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special voting forms: Visit this page to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms
Queenstown
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “How do I vote” to find where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Select “What is the ‘special voting’ process?” to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms.
Invercargill
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off: Scroll to “How to vote” to find out where to drop off your voting papers.
- Where to collect special vote forms: Scroll to “Special votes” to find out where to get special voting forms.
Extra Information for Auckland
- Main webpage
- Where to drop off
- Where to collect special vote forms: Visit this page to find out where to get or apply for special voting forms
You can collect a special voting document at Council Offices as well as the following places:
- Electoral Office (Level 2, 198 Federal Street, Auckland Central)
- Great Barrier Island Service Centre (75 Hector Sanderson Road, Great Barrier Island)
- Henderson Service Centre (3 Smythe Road, Henderson)
- Manukau Service Centre (4 Osterley Way, Manukau)
- Orewa Service Centre (50 Centreway Road, Orewa)
- Pukekohe Library and Service Centre (12 Massey Ave, Pukekohe)
- Waiheke Island Service Centre (10 Belgium Street, Ostend, Waiheke Island)
- Warkworth Library (2 Baxter Street, Warkworth)
Where can I drop my vote off to?
You can drop off your vote at one of the vote boxes located throughout the Auckland region, before 12 noon on 8 October.
- 65 Countdown supermarkets;
- 11 Auckland Transport hubs, libraries, council service centres
- 29 vote box pop-up locations
Find your location by postcode here.
Pop Up Locations
Find your closest “pop up” location for Auckland here.
All boxes will be sealed at 12pm on the dot, so be sure to drop off your vote before then.
Make your voice heard
Be sure to vote, but also remember to encourage your friends, family, neighbours and other concerned New Zealanders to vote too. Many elections are decided by only a few votes so every vote matters. We have to make the most of the local democracy we still have.
Thank you to everyone that has taken a stand, and to everyone that has supported those standing: you have already made a huge difference just in the act of standing and campaigning. We know this from the media coverage and conversations it has sparked online and in homes around New Zealand.
Rebuild Free
Remember, politics is a lagging indicator, it is downstream from social change. What we’ve achieved so far would not have been possible without all the hard work you have been a part of over the last 18 months. Brave Kiwis standing up and advocating for their communities is illustrative of our vision to rebuild a free New Zealand.
Reproduced with the kind permission of VFF – original article can be found on their website here.
