Voter enrolment slips to 93.6 percent

New Zealanders have a strict deadline to register before casting ballots this November. The Electoral Commission reports a provisional enrolment rate of 93.6 percent for the upcoming general election. This figure marks a decline from the 94.7 percent recorded in the 2023 election.

Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne stated the numbers indicate strong public awareness of the new rules. Under the current system, voters had to register by October 25 to participate in the November 7 vote. The coalition government of National, NZ First, and ACT promoted this change to improve efficiency and speed up results. Opposition parties and various groups criticized the move, arguing it made voting more difficult.

Le Quesne noted on Friday that the rate is higher than 2014 and 2017 but lower than 2020 and 2023. The provisional enrolment rate for 18 to 24 year olds stands at 74.2 percent. This is below the 77 percent recorded in 2023. However, a major campaign boosted this age group's enrolment from just over 50 percent in July. That increase represents more than 20 percentage points, or 85,000 people.

Among voters of Māori descent, the provisional enrolment rate is 85.9 percent. A total of 603,968 Māori voters are currently enrolled. Of that number, 272,513 are on the general roll and 331,455 are on the Māori roll. The 2023 election saw 567,012 Māori voters enrolled. Le Quesne explained that most of the growth on the Māori roll came from new enrolments rather than people switching rolls.

Former attorney-general Judith Collins warned that ending same-day enrolment would lower registration numbers. She calculated that 40,000 more people would need to sign up to match the 2023 percentage. Le Quesne called the current rate reasonably healthy. He said the commission largely succeeded in encouraging 450,000 late enrollers to register earlier, a figure that does not include population growth.

Le Quesne said the commission received the resources needed to push for earlier enrolment. He stated that the body has done more work than in the past and will publish a summary of activities today. Final enrolment figures will not be released until after the election concludes.