Voting starts in the Northland by-election today with the opening of advance and overseas voting.
Crowd at Kaikohe RSA to meet Northland by-election candidates. Photo: RNZ / Lois Williams
The by-election was triggered when National's MP Mike Sabin suddenly quit at the end of January.
The election date is 28 March, but Chief Electoral officer Robert Peden said if people were ready to vote now, they could do so.
Early voters could cast their ballot at one of the advance voting places around the Northland electorate, or at any of the offices of Registrars of Electors across the country, he said. Advance votes can also be cast at the Electoral Commission in Wellington.
Electoral Commission staff would also be visiting hospitals, rest homes and remand centres in Northland to provide voting services to those who could not get to a voting place.
Mr Peden said Northland voters currently overseas could download their voting papers from the Electoral Commssion website and upload, fax or post them back so they arrive by 7pm on election day.
People not yet enrolled to vote can do so online at elections.org.nz, at any PostShop, or at any advance voting place.
Eleven candidates are contesting the Northland seat:
- Adrian Paul Bonner, Independent
- Joe Carr, Focus New Zealand
- Robin Grieve, ACT New Zealand
- Maki Herbert, Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party
- Adam Holland, Independent
- Mark Osborne, National Party
- Rob Painting, Climate Party
- Winston Peters, New Zealand First Party
- Reuben Porter, MANA Movement
- Willow-Jean Prime, Labour Party
- Bruce Rogan, Independent
Voting in the Northland by-election starts today, with the opening of advance and overseas voting.
The by-election was triggered when the National MP Mike Sabin resigned for unstated personal reasons at the end of January.
The election is on Saturday March the 28th, but the Chief Electoral Officer, Robert Peden, says if people are ready to vote now, they can do so at one of the advance voting places around the Northland electorate, or at the offices of the Registrar of Electors throughout the country.
Electoral Commission staff will also visit hospitals, rest homes and remand centres in the electorate to provide voting services to those who can't get to a voting place.