MEDIA RELEASE

Electoral Enrolment Centre
14 October 2008

Thousands Of Voters Get Enrolment Warning For The Saturday 8 November Election

Voters are being warned to make sure their vote counts in the Saturday 8 November election by getting correctly enrolled to vote now.

In the last election over 16,000 people voted who were not enrolled, and that meant their votes were disallowed.

“We’ve got almost a quarter of a million people still not enrolled to vote,” says Murray Wicks, National Manager of the Electoral Enrolment Centre. “People need to take action and enrol now. It’s easy.”

In 2005 16,396 votes didn’t count because the voter was not enrolled. The electorates with the highest number of votes that didn’t count were Mangere (711), Waiariki (640) and Te Tai Tokerau (620).

“To put the 16,000 votes that didn’t count into perspective – it’s close to the total number of votes cast in either the Te Tai Hauauru or Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorates in 2005.”

People need to enrol no later than Wednesday 8 October if they want voting to be as easy as possible.

“Take action now and enrol today. You will get an EasyVote card and information pack in the mail if you enrol in time – by Wednesday 8 October,” says Mr Wicks.

“We make it as easy as we can to enrol and easier for those enrolled in time to vote. Voting takes longer for those not enrolled in time.”

Enrolment forms are available by freetexting your name and address to 3676, or going online to www.elections.org.nz, or visiting any PostShop or calling 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56). People can also check and update their details online at the website.

ENDS

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