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Wellington City Council Wellington City Council
News | 19 September 2022
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Elections 101: A quick guide to make voting easy

Voting doesn’t have to be a chore. It’s as simple as three easy steps. To save you the hassle, here’s a short guide on how to vote in the simplest way possible.

Two people on the waterfront

1. Keep an eye on your mailbox

Voting is done by post. If you’re enrolled, check your mailbox for your voting forms between 16 and 21 September 2022. 

While you are waiting for your forms, you can use this time to learn about the candidates and what council does through our Elections 101 series.

2. Fill out your voting forms

Put pen to paper and complete your voting forms. Voting is done via the STV (Single Transferable Vote) method, where you rank candidates in order of preferences. 

On your voting paper, put a ‘1’ next to your favourite candidate, ‘2’ next to your second favourite, and so on.

In an STV election, candidates must reach a certain number of votes to get elected. You can rank as many or as few candidates as you wish. More information on how STV works can be found on our webpage on electoral systems. 

If you need to cast a ‘special vote’, or you have a physical disability or access need, or are unable to read or write, or are not familiar with the language on the form, you can head to Te Pokapū Hapori Community Centre at 107 Manners Street and get help from the team. Special voting will also be available at Johnsonville (Waitohi), Karori, Newtown, and Ruth Gotleib (Kilbirnie) Libraries in the final week of voting from Monday 3 October. It takes less than five minutes to issue a special vote, and you can vote on site or take it away to vote later. 

If you can’t come into the voting hub to cast a special vote, then we can send the forms out to you. Email election@wcc.govt.nz or call 04 499 4444 and we can help. 

Ballot box bright orange bin with stickers on for election.

3. Return your forms

Once you’ve completed your forms, return them:

  • By NZ Post: If you are using a post box, it is recommended you post your vote by 4 October to ensure it’s received before the cut-off date.
  • To a ballot box: There are over 50 Wellington City Council-branded ballot boxes where you can drop off your voting papers across Wellington. Ballot boxes are provided at every Wellington supermarket and Council library, as well as several other locations. Votes can be delivered to ballot boxes up to 12 noon on Saturday 8 October.
  • To a Wellington City Council voting hub: You can also be issued a special vote at these locations.

Read more

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Ballot box bright orange bin with stickers on for election.

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Yellow background with writing that says 'If you were looking for a sign to register to vote, this is it'.

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