How to vote

From enrolment to election night

Voting in New Zealand is straightforward once you know the steps. Here's the whole journey, start to finish.

Enrol to vote

You can enrol from age 17 and vote from 18, as long as you're a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. Enrolment takes about two minutes online, or you can enrol at a PostShop or voting place. Check your details at vote.nz — it's quick to update if you've moved. For the 7 November 2026 election, enrol by midnight 25 October to vote as an ordinary voter; enrol later and you can still cast a special vote.

Get informed

Read what each party stands for, who leads them, and who's standing in your electorate. Watch debates, read neutral summaries (you're already in the right place), and look at each party's own policies before you decide.

Decide when to vote

You can usually vote in the two weeks before election day (advance voting) at any voting place — handy if you're working, studying or travelling. Election day is always a Saturday, with voting places open roughly 9am to 7pm. For the 2026 election, overseas voting starts 21 October and advance voting starts 26 October. If you're overseas or can't get to a voting place, there are special voting options.

Cast your two ticks

At the voting place, staff hand you a ballot paper. You get two votes: a tick for your preferred local candidate in your electorate, and a tick for the party you want in Parliament. You can leave either tick blank and your vote still counts — just don't write anything else on the paper.

Watch the results

Preliminary results come out on election night, but official results — including special votes — take about two to three weeks. Only then do we know the final make-up of Parliament, and negotiations begin to form a government.

(b) MMP explainer

How MMP turns votes into seats

The party vote is king

Each party's share of the nationwide party vote decides its overall share of the 120 seats. The 72 electorate seats are filled first by local winners; the remaining list seats are allocated so each party's total roughly matches its vote share.

The 5% threshold

A party normally needs 5% of the party vote to enter Parliament — or win at least one electorate seat, which lets it bring in list MPs despite being under 5%.

61 seats to govern

A party or coalition needs at least 61 of 120 seats to form a government. Because one party rarely wins a majority under MMP, parties negotiate coalitions or support agreements after every election.

Quick answers

What if I'm not enrolled by election day?

You can still vote — go to any voting place and cast a special vote. You'll complete a short enrolment form at the same time, so bring ID and proof of address if you can.

Can I vote if I'm working on election day?

Yes. Advance voting opens about two weeks before election day, or your employer must give you reasonable time off to vote if you tell them before election day.

What if I make a mistake on my ballot?

Ask the staff for a replacement ballot — they can issue a new one. A stray mark that could identify you (like a signature) may invalidate your paper, so keep it to ticks only.

Do I have to use both ticks?

No. Each tick is counted separately. Many people split their ticks — one for a local candidate, one for a different party — and that's completely valid under MMP.

Ready to check you're enrolled?

The Electoral Commission runs enrolment and voting in New Zealand. Its website has the official details for every election — dates, voting places and forms.

Visit vote.nz