Four orange ballot bins in a row against a yellow background
Design: The Spinoff

PoliticsOctober 3, 2025

Didn’t get a voting pack? You can still vote in the local elections

Staff writer
Four orange ballot bins in a row against a yellow background
Design: The Spinoff

Here’s everything you need to know to ensure you have your say this local elections. 

Unless you’ve been hiding behind a hoarding of an underwater travelator for the past few weeks, you’ll know that New Zealand is currently in the giddy midst of local elections. Every three years, voters across the motu can have their say about how their local communities are run, but what if your voting pack has gone astray in the post? What if you’re not at your home during the voting period, or you made a boo-boo on your ballot paper? 

Don’t panic. By casting a special vote, you can still join the 42% of New Zealanders who can be arsed participating in local democracy. And who doesn’t want to feel special? Here’s all the important details about why, when and how you can make a special vote during the 2025 local elections. 

I waited at my letterbox for weeks but I haven’t received my voting pack. What should I do? 

EasyVote packs were posted on September 9, and should have arrived in your letterbox by September 22. If you haven’t received your voting papers by now, but you still want to vote for your local vampire or Big Daddy, you’ll need to make a special vote.

What is a special vote? 

A special vote is a provisional vote used in special circumstances, and is cast by voters who are unable to make an ordinary vote.  

A special vote pack takes only a few minutes to fill in, and includes a special voting form and a statutory voting declaration. The statutory declaration is a legal requirement and a protection against possible duplicate voting. 

Why would I need to make a special vote?

There are several reasons why you might need to make a special vote, including:

  • Your name doesn’t appear on the final electoral roll, but you still qualify to vote (you’re over 18, a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and have lived in New Zealand for more than one year continuously at some time in your life). 
  • You didn’t receive your voting papers in the mail
  • You spoiled, damaged or lost your voting papers, and you need a replacement
  • You are on the unpublished (confidential) electoral roll
  • You are away from your home during the voting period
  • You moved house since the electoral roll was compiled on August 1, 2025 and have lived at your new residential address for one month or more
  • You are eligible to vote as a ratepayer elector, for a property you own but do not live in.
A photo of a rubbish bin, an orange ballot bin, and a food donation bin
Three bins in a Dunedin supermarket, but only one wants your voting papers

Do I need to be enrolled to vote to make a special vote?

Yes. You can check if you’re enrolled online here. If you’re not enrolled (for example, if you’ve just turned 18 or you moved recently), don’t panic – you can still sign up to vote via the Electoral Commission website, but you must enrol before Friday, October 10. 

How do I make a special vote? 

After October 1 (which has already passed, sorry), there’s not enough time to have a special vote pack mailed to you, so you’ll need to collect your special voting papers in person. Special voting documents are issued at district council offices, council service centres or special voting centres. Check your local council website for locations of where you can make a special vote.

When can I make a special vote? 

Great news, you don’t need to wait until election day. You can make a special vote at your local council offices during their usual opening hours between today and Friday, October 10. Many areas have special voting available until voting closes at noon on Saturday, October 11 – again, check with your local district council for details.

How do I return my voting papers?

You can either post them (no later than 5pm on Tuesday, October 7 to guarantee delivery) or pop them into an authorised ballot bin (no later than noon on Saturday, October 11). Secure ballot bins are located at councils and service centres, supermarkets, libraries, hospitals, universities, chemists and even some Mitre 10 Megas. The ballot bins look like big orange wheelie bins (because they are big orange wheelie bins) and are pretty hard to miss, but your local council website will have a full list of ballot box locations. 

Who should I vote for? 

Check out the candidates in your local area here. 

What if I have more questions?

Contact your district council directly, get in touch with the electoral officer for your area, call the Electoral Commission on 0800 36 76 56 or email enquiries@elections.govt.nz.  

Happy voting.

Politics