How to cast a special vote in a local election

Hira Siddiqui from Citizens Advice Bureau Pakuranga/Eastern Manukau

✅✅ You may need to cast a special vote in a local election if:
• you enrolled after the roll closed on 1 August 2025
• you are on the unpublished electoral roll
• your new address on the electoral roll is out of date, and you have been living at a new address for at least a month
• your voting papers are lost or damaged
• you are voting as a ratepayer elector (for a property you own that is in a different council area to the one you live in).

If you need to cast a special vote in the local election, you can do this by mail or in person at a ‘special voting location’.

Your local council will publish a list of special voting locations, and when they are open, on their website. You can find your local council website here: lgnz.co.nz.... The locations are usually public libraries.

If you cannot get to a special voting location, you can contact the Electoral Officer at your council to request a special voting pack. Do this as soon as possible so you can meet the deadline for posting your vote by mail, which is 7 October 2025. After this date, votes must be returned to council’s secure ballot boxes by midday 11 October 2025 when voting closes.

You can find out who is running for council in your local area and what they stand for here: policy.nz/2025

For more details, visit: cab.org.nz/article/KB00045122
Original post credit: Citizens Advice Bureau NZ: www.cab.org.nz...