Make sure you can vote in Auckland elections

Aucklanders are being urged to take the first step to getting ready for the Auckland Council and district health board elections by ensuring they are correctly enrolled to vote.

Almost 100,000 Aucklanders are not enrolled to vote in the upcoming local Auckland Council elections – making up four out of every ten people in New Zealand not enrolled.

Auckland Council Electoral Officer Dale Ofsoske says while it is disappointing that Auckland is one of the worst enrolled cities in the country, there is now a chance to do something about it.

“Aucklanders want to be able to vote. But to do so, we need to check that everyone in our households receive an enrolment update pack in the mail this week – and if anyone doesn’t, to ensure those people get enrolled.

“There is a lot of change going on in Auckland and that’s generating strong interest in the upcoming elections.

“But interest won’t make any difference if people aren’t enrolled. Only those enrolled to vote will get their voting pack sent to them in the mail,” says Mr Ofsoske.

“There are around 100,000 potential voters out there that won’t be sent a vote because they aren’t enrolled. Your vote could affect the whole of Auckland, so make sure it counts.”

Everyone enrolled to vote will be sent an enrolment update pack in the mail this week. Anyone who doesn’t get one by Thursday (8 July) isn’t enrolled and they need to enrol or update their details.

Enrolment forms are available from the elections website www.elections.org.nz, by free texting your name and address to 3676, from any PostShop or by calling 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56). You can also check your details and enrol online at the website.

The local elections will be held by postal vote from 19 September until midday Saturday 9 October.