Political rights

Political rights boil down to one thing - your chance to have your say about things that affect you.

There are many ways you can have your say:

Writing letters to newspapers, businesses or government groups;
Organising campaigns;
Visiting local council and government representatives to talk to them about issues that affect you.

New Zealanders can also have their say on election day by voting. This page gives an overview of the voting process.

The 2011 election

Key dates: Election Day: Saturday 26 November.

Enrol by 26 October to get your EasyVote card. (If you have missed this deadline, you can still enrol until 25 November but you won’t get an EasyVote card).

Election + referendum: This year you have 3 votes: the usual 2, plus 1 for the referendum on the voting system. To find out more, visit the Referendum on the Voting System and Elections New Zealand.

Enrol to vote

If you are 18 or older you are required to enrol to vote. Voting itself is not compulsory, but enrolling is.

Some people argue that if you don't vote, you don't have the right to complain about government policies. You have every right to complain - but things will only change if you get involved and vote.

How to enrol

Enrol online

Check your eligibility and enrol online at elections.org.nz. Go straight to the enrolment page to find out how to enrol, which roll to choose — Māori or General — and find answers to frequently asked questions. See also Active Voices — guide for the first time voter.

Other ways to enrol

If you prefer to enrol by phone, ring 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56)
Text your name and address to 3676
Visit any PostShop

Under 18 in Christchurch? Have your say

The Otautahi Youth Council has organised a voting website Youth Vote. It has been set up to give youth in Christchurch a chance to show the nation how they would vote if they could.

Key date to enrol by:

To be able to vote you must enrol by the Friday before the election day (Friday 25 November 2011), at the very latest.

It is best however if you enrol at least a month before the election. If you are enrolled by Writ Day, which is exactly one month before the election, you will receive a personalised EasyVote card, which, as the name says, will make voting easier. You can vote without your EasyVote card but it will take a bit longer.

It’s also important to check the roll each election to make sure your details are up to date. Moving house may mean that you move electorates.

Find out where you can check the rolls

If you are overseas you can still vote.

If you are unsure about any of the terms used in elections or voting, visit the elections.org.nz glossary for more information.

Voting

In a general election you have two votes — a party vote and an electorate vote.

The party vote helps decide how many seats each party gets. The more party votes a party gets, the more MPs it will have in Parliament.

The electorate vote helps decide who becomes your local Member of Parliament. The candidate who gets the most votes wins the seat.

Websites

Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa Incorporated: ACYA seeks to promote respect for children and youth and their rights.
Aotearoa Youth Voices Network: Details on youth councils, the Youth Parliament and programmes to encourage youth to become politically active. Ministry of Youth Development site for young people.
District Health Board elections: Information from the Ministry of Health about District Health boards and the election process.
Elections New Zealand: Joint website of the Electoral Enrolment Centre, the Chief Electoral Office and the Electoral Commission. Everything you need to know about enrolling and voting.
Explore Parliament: Educational site that provides information and tutorials about the democratic process in Aotearoa New Zealand
iVote: Everything you need to know about voting - enrolling, choosing which roll is for you, how to vote in local and national elections. Facebook page of the Electoral Enrolment Centre and the Electoral Commission.
Local Government New Zealand: Website for councils around the country - includes maps, statistics and details of local and regional councils around New Zealand.
Parliament: Official site of the New Zealand Parliament where elected representatives make laws, debate important issues. Keep a watch on Government activity. Includes link to live stream of Parliament TV.
Child Youth and Family Services: Find out about your rights and what to do about them if they're not being met
Children's Commissioner: The Office of the Children's Commissioner exists to ensure that children's rights are respected. Includes an Advice section which can help solve problems or answer questions about the rights, interests, and welfare of children and young people.
Kids Voting: Kids Voting gives Year Nine students the opportunity to participate in an authentic voting experience. Students vote for real candidates, on a real ballot paper, and compare the results from the Kids election with the results of the real election.
Ministry of Social Development: A government strategy aimed at improving the lives of children and young people.
Ministry of Youth Development: Policies, programmes, legislation and services that concern young people in New Zealand.
NZ Legislation: Unofficial versions of public, local and private acts
Youth Parliament 2010: Youth Parliament has been held every three years since 1994. It is an opportunity for young New Zealanders to learn about New Zealand's democracy and influence public decision-making. The last Youth Parliament was held 6-7 July 2010. Find out what happened in the House and the topics that were discussed.

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