Keeping the Flag Flying...

Keeping the Flag Flying...

Friday 12 September 2008

New Zealand General Elections - 8 November 2008! Let's all Vote!

The NZ Government has just announced that New Zealand's General Election will be held on Saturday, 8 November 2008.

Please make sure you're enrolled to vote. There's no time to lose as the published electoral roll closes on 8 October. There is limited opportunity to enrol after that, but don't take a chance - enrol now.

KEA tells us that in the last election only 28,000 of over half a million eligible overseas Kiwis voted. Make sure you have your say, too.

If you're a New Zealand citizen over the age of 18 and you've visited New Zealand in the last three years, you're eligible to vote from anywhere in the world.

It's simple to enrol and download your voting papers online - and you can return your papers by post or fax. There's no need to visit a New Zealand consulate or embassy either, to enrol, or to vote.

Check out the information below for everything you need to enrol and vote.

And please tell all the other New Zealanders that you know who are living in Greece or abroad.

Happy Voting!!!

How to vote from overseas

(http://www.elections.org.nz/voting/votingsub/how-vote-overseas.html)

If you will be overseas at the time of the general election you can still vote by casting a special declaration vote.

Who can vote from overseas?

You can vote if you are enrolled and:

  • you are a New Zealand citizen and have visited New Zealand within the last three years, or
  • you are a permanent resident of New Zealand and have visited New Zealand in the last 12 months.

You can enrol or update your enrolment details online.

How do I vote?

Overseas voting opens on Wednesday 22 October.

Voting papers are not automatically sent to voters who are overseas. You cannot vote by email or return your voting papers electronically. If you are overseas at the time of this year's general election then there are four options open to you. You can:

1. Cast an advance vote

If you will be in New Zealand from Wednesday 22 October, you can cast an advance vote at any advance voting place.

2. Download voting papers

If you are overseas and are on the published electoral roll you will be able to download your voting papers from Wednesday 22 October. This is the quickest and easiest way to obtain your ballot paper.

3. Apply for a postal vote

You can apply to have voting papers posted to you. These are normally sent from New Zealand approximately three weeks before election day.

4. Vote in person

You will be able to vote in person at a number of overseas posts, including New Zealand diplomatic posts.

How can I check my enrolment details or enrol?

You can enrol or check and update your details online.

You can also:

If you would like a friend or family member in New Zealand to complete an enrolment form for you then they will need to be a registered elector and will need to print "Elector overseas - signed by their direction" on the form next to their signature.

If you would like the form completed by someone who holds a Power of Attorney for you then they must print "Elector overseas - Power of Attorney" next to their signature.

How can I find out more?

For questions about voting from overseas email overseas@elections.org.nz.

For questions about enrolling email enrol@elections.org.nz.

From within New Zealand call 0800 36 76 56

From overseas call +64 4 913 1346.

2 comments:

Maria Verivaki said...

interesting - i was there nearly five years ago, so i am not eligible to vote - but i do wish i could vote in the US elections; since i have never set foot in the US, i guess i can't do that (but if i could, i would give my vote to obama)

Griwis said...

Actually, what is interesting with the US Elections is that all Americans Abroad can vote irrespective of whether they have been back to the USA in the previous few months or years. It would be great if the same applied to the NZ elections!