It is nearly time to get voting, with the 2023 General Election set for October 14 in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The General Election is an opportunity for Pacific peoples to have their say about who they want to represent them and their aiga in parliament.
In the 2018 Census, a total of 381,642 people from over 30 Pacific groups were recorded as living in New Zealand.
Voting is one way to ensure the Pacific voice is heard and acknowledged during the decision-making process in Aotearoa.
The official voting period starts October 2, and you can vote ahead of time at one of the many places published by the Electoral Commission, or on election day, October 14, where all voting places will be open from 9am to 7pm.
Electoral Commission Deputy Chief Executive Operations Anusha Guler says it is important all communities in New Zealand have their say in the election to ensure parliament represents all New Zealanders.
“We encourage you all to enrol and vote and to take your friends and aiga with you so they can vote too,” Anusha says.
“All our voting places are family friendly so you can bring the young ones and show them democracy in action.”
The Electoral Commission has also worked with communities to put voting places in spaces that are easy to access.
“This election people will see voting places in and around the spaces where we all live and work, including malls and retail areas, transport hubs, marae, mosques, universities, schools, and community halls,” Anusha says.
“If you enrolled before writ day on September 10, you’ll be sent an EasyVote pack in the mail, which will contain your nearest voting locations, key information about the election and an EasyVote card that will make voting quicker and easier.
“For those that aren’t already enrolled, it is not too late - you can still enrol online, or at any voting place when you vote.”
There will be more than 800 voting places open before election day and more than 2,300 voting places open on election day.
Kaupapa Māori voting places
This election there will be 15 Kaupapa Māori voting places where staff can help people through the voting process in te reo Māori.
The Kaupapa Māori voting places are open to everyone, and staff will speak both te reo Māori and English.
As well as the Kaupapa Māori voting places, there will be 37 voting places at marae this election.
New Zealand Sign Language voting places
New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) interpreters will be available in three voting places – one each in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Information on enrolling and voting is available in NZSL at on the Vote NZ website, along with the locations of voting places.
Retail outlet voting places
There will be 63 voting places at retail areas across New Zealand, including 11 The Warehouse stores nationwide and nine Pak’nSave and New World supermarkets.
Please note days and times of voting places vary, so please check before going to vote.
More information, including locations and opening hours of voting venues, is available online at Vote NZ or by calling 0800 36 76 56.
Information is available in 26 languages, including te reo Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Fijian, Niuean, Samoan, Tokelauan and Tongan.
There are also videos and voting resources available in a range of languages, including Samoan and Tongan.