You can now find your closest voting place online at vote.nz, with the Electoral Commission publishing information about the 2,600 places where New Zealanders can vote during the 2023 General Election.

Deputy Chief Executive Operations Anusha Guler says the Electoral Commission has worked with communities to put voting places in spaces that are easy to access.

“This election people will see voting places in and around the spaces where we all live and work, including malls and retail areas, transport hubs, marae, mosques, universities, schools, and community halls.

“If you enrolled before writ day on 10 September you’ll be sent an EasyVote pack in the mail, which will contain your nearest voting locations, key information about the election and an EasyVote card that will make voting quicker and easier,” says Anusha Guler.

“For those that aren’t already enrolled, it’s not too late. You can still enrol online, or at any voting place when you vote.”

This year voting starts on Monday 2 October and closes at 7pm on election day, Saturday 14 October. There will be more than 800 voting places open before election day and more than 2,300 voting places on election day.

“The days and times voting places are open prior to election day vary, so check before you go to vote on vote.nz or by calling 0800 36 76 56,” says Anusha Guler.

Kaupapa Māori voting places

This election there will be 15 Kaupapa Māori voting places where staff can help people through the voting process in te reo Māori. The Kaupapa Māori voting places are open to everyone, and staff will speak both te reo Māori and English.

As well as the Kaupapa Māori voting places, there will be 37 voting places at marae this election.

New Zealand Sign Language voting places

We will again have some voting places where New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) interpreters are available. There will be three voting places with this service, one each located in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Information on enrolling and voting is available in NZSL at vote.nz, along with the locations of voting places.

Retail outlet voting places

There will be 63 voting places at retail areas across New Zealand, including 11 The Warehouse stores nationwide and nine Pak’nSave and New World supermarkets.

Anusha Guler says partnerships with companies like The Warehouse and Foodstuffs played an important role in ensuring people were able to vote while going about their day-to-day lives.

“By offering up their spaces The Warehouse and Foodstuffs have helped make voting easy by enabling people to vote while they shop.”

The Warehouse Group CEO Nick Grayston says, “We’re pleased to play our part and make it easy for Kiwis to get out and vote in some of our stores across the motu.”

Foodstuffs Head of Public Relations Emma Wooster says, “Foodstuffs are proudly New Zealand owned, and our co-ops are really stoked to be able to play our part in supporting Aotearoa’s democratic process by making it convenient and easy to vote.”

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