How to Vote

Voting - Māori Ward by-election

From 1 June 2023, those on the Māori electoral roll can vote in the Waipā Māori Ward by-election.

Who are the Waipā Māori Ward by-election 2023 candidates?

Download the candidate profiles: Waipā Māori Ward by-election candidate profiles

To check if you’re enrolled on the Māori electoral roll or to update your details visit elections.org.nz.

Please download the following documents:

Māori Roll and General Roll

If you’re of Māori descent and enrolling for the first time, you have an important choice to make. You need to decide which electoral roll you want to be on: the General roll or the Māori roll. You can also change your roll type at any time, except:

in the 3 months before a general election
in the 3 months before local elections which are held every 3 years
before a parliamentary by-election if the change would move you into the electorate where the by-election is being held.

For more information on the Māori electoral option please visit the electoral commission webpage what is the Māori electoral option?

Voting

You can deliver your voting papers from Thursday 1 June until 12 noon, Friday 23 June at any of the following places:

Waipā District Council Offices
external voting drop-off box at the Te Awamutu Library
or visit one of the participating supermarkets where our new orange ballot bins are stationed.
- Countdown Te Awamutu
- Fresh Choice Leamington
- Fresh Choice Te Awamutu

Postal Voting

You can also post your vote at any NZ Post Box nationwide as long as you get it in the post no later than Monday 19 June to ensure it is received in time to be counted. To find a post box near you, visit the NZ Post website and search your area.

Special Vote

Special votes are available if:

your name does not appear on the final published electoral roll for the Māori Ward by-election, but you qualify as an elector for the by-election
after the mail delivery on Wednesday 7 June, you still have not received a voting pack
you spoil or damage the voting document you received in the post
you will be travelling during the voting period (from 1 June to 12 noon on Friday 23 June 2023).

You can either phone and request a special voting pack to be posted out to you, or call into either of the Council offices during our normal office hours.

Although you can cast a special vote when you have not enrolled to vote, you will have to enroll by Thursday 22 June for your vote to be valid.

Enrolment as a Ratepayer Elector

You may qualify to vote in Waipā District local body elections.

There are two types of electors:

Residential Electors: If you’re registered to vote on the māori electoral roll, you are automatically enrolled to vote in the the Waipā Māori Ward by-election. You will receive a voting document so that you can vote by post.
Ratepayer Electors: You may also be eligible to enrol as a non-resident ratepayers elector in a council district if both these apply:
- You are in the district valuation roll and pay rates in the council district
- The address where you are registered as a Parliamentary elector is outside that council district and you are on the māori roll.

Your eligibility to enrol or be nominated as a ratepayer elector may also depend in your individual circumstances as determined by criteria in the Local Electoral Act 2001 and its regulations.

If you believe you meet the criteria to enrol as a ratepayer elector, please read and complete the below form