What voting in the local election looks like

Your voting papers arrive in the mail from today (Tuesday 9 September), so here’s a guide to making your postal vote count, before voting closes at midday Saturday 11 October.

Due to the size of the Far North District it may take several days for your papers to arrive, but don’t worry. If you haven't received your voting papers in the mail by Monday 15 September please contact the FNDC Electoral Office to request a special vote on 0800 922 822 or specialvotes@electionservices.org.nz.

Your voting papers specify which roll, ward, subdivision and constituency you are enrolled in and list the candidates you can vote for. Voting papers have unique identifiers so electoral officials can keep track and check that none have gone missing. Special care is taken to keep all voting papers safe and secure, and your vote private.

This year all voters in the local election will also be asked to vote in a binding poll about whether to keep or remove Māori wards and constituencies.

How to vote using Single Transferable Voting

The Far North is one of 15 councils in Aotearoa that uses Single Transferable Voting. To vote this way you need to rank the candidates you choose in order of preference. You put a ‘1’ next to the candidate you like best, a ‘2’ next to your second favourite candidate and so on. You can vote for as many or as few candidates as you like. For your vote to be counted there must be a single '1' as a minimum. For more information on STV go to www.stv.govt.nz.

What you are voting for

All eligible voters can vote for:

• The Far North Mayor
• Your local community board – based on the subdivision you live in
• Your Northland Regional Council representative(s) – based on the constituency area you live in.

In addition, depending on the roll you are on:

• General Roll voters will vote for Far North Councillors based on the ward you live in, e.g. Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Ward, Kaikohe-Hokianga Ward or Te Hiku Ward
• Māori Roll voters will vote for Ngā Tai o Tokerau Māori Ward Councillors.

Go here to find out how to check which electoral roll you are on.

You can find out more about the Māori Ward Poll in an animation in te reo Māori and English here.

Posting or lodging your vote

Once you’ve filled in your voting papers, you can pop them in the post using the envelope included in your voting pack. The council is also providing ballot boxes at each of its eight service centres, as well as mobile ballot boxes where you can lodge your vote.

If you haven't received your voting papers in the mail by Monday 15 September, if you haven’t yet enrolled, or you enrolled or updated your details after 1 August you will need to complete a special vote. You can visit one of our eight council service centres or a Mobile Ballot Box Tour location to cast a special vote.

Voting closes at midday Saturday 11 October. Only three voting locations will be open on the final day of voting. These will be at our Kerikeri, Kaikohe, and Kaitāia service centres.

Counting votes

There is no possibility that anyone can cast more than one eligible vote. Eligibility criteria must be met before the Electoral Commission confirms anyone’s enrolment. Electoral Officials confirm enrolment before any special vote is provided. Special votes all have a unique identifier which is only assigned to an eligible voter once eligibility is confirmed.

All votes are scrutinised by our independent Electoral Officer. No vote is counted until enrolment eligibility is confirmed through the Electoral Commission by the Electoral Officer.

VOTE LOCAL

Photo disclaimer - the ballot boxes will be securely fastened in the van during our Mobile Ballot Box Tour. This representation of the ballot boxes is for photo purposes only.