MEDIA RELEASE

Friday 20 November 2015

Electoral Commission
Te Kaitiaki Take Kōwhiri

Referendum Voting Papers on Their Way

Voting papers are being delivered to over three million New Zealanders from today, as the first referendum on the New Zealand flag gets underway.

“Look out for your voting paper in the mail over the next few days,” says Robert Peden, Chief Electoral Officer. “They’ll arrive between today and Friday 27 November. Your voting pack will include your voting paper, a return freepost envelope, full information on how to complete your paper, and information about the five flag options.”

The referendum runs from Friday 20 November until Friday 11 December, and will be held by postal vote. Voters will be asked the question If the New Zealand flag changes, which flag would you prefer?

They’ll be asked to rank the five alternative flag designs selected through the Flag Consideration Process from those suggested by the public.

“On your voting paper, you will be asked to rank the alternative flag options – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 – in the order you prefer them,” says Mr Peden. “Write a “1” in the box of the flag option you prefer most. Put a “2” in the box of the option you prefer next, and so on. You can rank as many or as few flag options as you wish, but you shouldn’t skip a number or use the same number more than once.”

If one flag option gets fifty percent or more of all the first preference votes (that is votes marked "1") it will be selected on the first count. If no flag option gets fifty percent or more of the first preference votes, the flag with the fewest number “1” votes is dropped and its votes go to the flag each voter ranked next. This continues until one flag gets fifty percent or more of the valid votes.

Voters should get their voting paper by Friday 27 November. Enrolled voters who do not receive their pack by then should visit elections.org.nz or freephone 0800 36 76 56 to get a replacement paper. They can also request a replacement paper if they make a mistake, lose, or destroy their paper.

Once completed, voting papers should be placed in the return envelope, and posted in a New Zealand Post postbox by Tuesday December 8 to ensure they get back in time.

In March 2016, there will be another referendum to choose between the most preferred option from the first referendum and the current New Zealand flag. The flag that receives the most votes in the second referendum will be the official flag of New Zealand.

More information about voting in the referendum is available at www.elections.org.nz/flag or on 0800 36 76 56.

ENDS

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