Provisional Enrolment at 93.6% Ahead of New Zealand Election

Wellington, October 30

With the general election set for November 7, nearly 3.8 million New Zealanders have enrolled to vote. The Electoral Commission reported on Friday that the provisional enrolment rate has reached 93.6 percent, a level that falls short of the final rates of the previous two elections.

The commission said the final enrolment rate will be determined only after polling ends. In 2023 the rate was 94.7 percent, while in 2020 it was 94.1 percent.

Enrolment among voters aged 18 to 24 currently stands at 74.2 percent on a provisional basis. The figure was 53.9 percent in late July and remains close to the 76.7 percent recorded in 2023.

The provisional enrolment rate among Maori voters is 85.9 percent, with 603,968 Maori voters now enrolled. In 2023, the number was 567,012.

Chief Electoral Officer Carl Le Quesne said the data indicates that people are aware of the new requirement to enrol before voting begins. He said the commission will review its work to raise enrolment levels and will report to Parliament once the election is over.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon leads the centre-right National Party, which took power in 2023 and is now seeking a second term. The Labour Party, headed by former prime minister Chris Hipkins, is preparing its campaign to regain office. Cost of living, economic growth, jobs and public services continue to weigh on voters' minds.

Advance voting, which started on Monday, has drawn strong numbers. In the first three days, 309,876 people cast early votes, compared with 235,515 in the same window in 2023.

More than 2,300 polling places are expected to operate across the country on election day. The official results are scheduled for release on November 27.

Citizens and permanent residents of New Zealand aged 18 or over, who have at some point lived in the country continuously for 12 months or more, are eligible to vote in this election.