NZ Election 2026: how to enrol and vote
You need to be enrolled by midnight on Sunday 25 October 2026 to vote in the general election on Saturday 7 November. You do not need ID to vote, and you can check your enrolment online in a couple of minutes.
The key dates
- 4 October 2026: enrol or update your details by midnight to get an EasyVote card.
- 25 October 2026: enrolment closes at midnight.
- 26 October 2026: advance voting opens.
- 7 November 2026: election day. Voting places are open from 9am to 7pm.
Who can vote
You must be at least 18 years old. You must also meet the residency rules, which include having lived in New Zealand for more than a year and being a citizen or permanent resident. The Electoral Commission can confirm your situation on 0800 36 76 56.
How to check you are enrolled
Go to vote.nz and use the enrolment checker, or call 0800 36 76 56. The details you type in need to match what the Commission has on file exactly. Check even if you have voted before. You may have moved, or your electorate boundaries may have changed.
How to enrol or update your details
You can enrol or update online at vote.nz. Online enrolment asks for ID such as a driver licence, a passport or a verified RealMe login. You can also phone the Commission. Update your details any time you move house.
Māori roll or general roll
If you are Māori, you can choose to be on the Māori roll or the general roll. You cannot be on both. In an election year, people who are already enrolled had until midnight on 6 August 2026 to switch. That date has passed, so you stay on your current roll for this election.
How and where to vote
You can vote early from 26 October, or on election day. Advance voting hours vary by place, so check before you go. Voting places are published about three weeks before election day. Voting is quicker if you go to a place in the area where you live.
What to bring
Bring your EasyVote card if you have one. It speeds things up, but you do not need it. You do not need to take ID.
Special votes
A special vote is used when your name is not on the printed roll at the voting place. That can happen if you enrolled late, or if you vote outside your own electorate. Your vote still counts. It is just checked before it is added to the result. People who enrol after 4 October need to cast a special vote.
Do this next
- Check your enrolment at vote.nz or call 0800 36 76 56.
- Fix any wrong details online before midnight on 25 October.
- Pick a day to vote: any day from 26 October, or 7 November.
- Look up your nearest voting place once the list is published.
- Take your EasyVote card if you have it. You do not need ID.
The catch
There is no second chance after the deadline. Once enrolment closes on 25 October, you cannot enrol at a voting place on the day, and you cannot vote if you are not enrolled. Late changes also mean a special vote, which can take a little longer at the counter. Do it this week and the problem goes away.
Want a quick walk through all of this for your own situation? Try our NZ election 2026 enrol and vote guide.
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Last reviewed 3 October 2026. Written by The Daily Kiwi from the official pages listed above.