Voting opened Wednesday for New Zealanders abroad ahead of the Nov. 7 general election, as the number of enrolled voters reporting that they live overseas has risen since 2023.
The number of enrolled voters who say they live abroad has climbed to about 126,000 from 92,600 in 2023. Australia has the largest share of enrolled voters living abroad.
Overseas voters have 64 sites for casting ballots in person or by post, including 10 in Australia. Voters can also download ballot papers from the official election website and upload them after completion, Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne said.
The commission received 77,295 votes from people living or traveling abroad in the 2023 election. That compares with 62,787 in 2020 and 61,524 in 2017. Those vote totals include travelers, while the current enrollment figure counts people who report living overseas.
Anyone who needs to enroll or update their details must do so by midnight Oct. 25, New Zealand time. Advance voting within New Zealand begins Oct. 26, followed by election day on Nov. 7. The commission is scheduled to declare official results Nov. 27.
