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?

Voting papers are not automatically sent to voters who are overseas. 

Voters who are overseas will be able to obtain their voting papers from two and a half weeks before election day in one of the following ways:

• Download their voting papers from www.elections.org.nz
• Apply to the Electoral Commission for postal voting papers
• Vote in person at an overseas post

Voters who are overseas will be able to return their voting papers in one of the following ways:

• Fax their voting papers to the Electoral Commission (+64 4 494 2300)
• Post or courier their voting papers to the Electoral Commission
• Post, courier or hand deliver their voting papers to their nearest overseas post

Voting papers returned to the Electoral Commission must be received no later than 7.00pm (NZ time) on Election Day.

Voting papers returned to an overseas post must be received before the close of voting at that post usually 4.00pm (local time) the day before election day (subject to local holidays).  Please check with your nearest overseas post for their closing time.

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 outside of New Zealand call +64 9 909 3485.