Up to 6,800 people holding residence-class visas may have been affected by an error in New Zealand's electoral enrolment system, with the Electoral Commission now contacting applicants who were unnecessarily asked to prove their immigration status.
Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne said the problem had been identified in the way enrolment eligibility was processed. Some residents who applied to enrol were asked for additional immigration information when their original applications were already sufficient.
Initial assessments suggest a maximum of 6,800 people could be affected, although the final number has not been confirmed.
The Commission said it was contacting affected applicants to explain that they could cast valid special votes, provided they met the eligibility requirements and applied before the 25 October enrolment deadline.
Who can vote without New Zealand citizenship?
New Zealand's electoral eligibility rules do not require every voter to be a citizen or hold a permanent resident visa.
According to the Electoral Commission's explanation reported by RNZ, voters must be at least 18 years old, be New Zealand citizens or residents for electoral purposes, and have lived continuously in New Zealand for at least 12 months at some point in their lives.
A person is considered a resident for electoral purposes if they are living lawfully in New Zealand and are not required to leave within a specified time.
This distinction matters for migrants holding residence-class visas. Eligible residents can qualify to vote even if they have not become New Zealand citizens.
People holding temporary work or study visas that require departure by a specified date are generally not eligible under those residency provisions.
Le Quesne acknowledged that the processing error had imposed an unnecessary additional step on applicants. He said the Commission was investigating the problem urgently.
What affected applicants should check
The Commission has confirmed that eligible people who applied before the 25 October deadline can still cast a special vote, even if their applications were caught up in the processing problem.
Anyone who received an unexpected request for immigration documents should check communications from the Commission rather than assume their application has been rejected.
Concerned applicants can contact the Electoral Commission on 0800 36 76 56 or by emailing enquiries@elections.govt.nz.
The Post reported that 455,522 people had voted after four days of advance voting, representing 12.02 per cent of enrolled voters. Election day is Saturday 7 November.
The Commission has not established how many of the potentially affected applicants have been prevented from completing enrolment processing. Its investigation and direct contact with applicants are continuing as election day approaches.
