Palmy elections are coming – check your enrolment now
Published on 11 April 2025
Have you received your enrolment pack in the mail from the Electoral Commission? If not, now’s the time to enrol or update your details so you can vote in the upcoming council elections and Māori Ward referendum.
More than 61,300 enrolment packs have been sent out across Palmy this week, but if you’ve moved house, turned 18, or haven’t voted in a while, your details might be out of date.
Deputy Electoral Officer, Hannah White, says one of the main reasons people miss out on voting is because they haven’t updated their address.
“It’s easy - update your details now, and your voting papers will arrive in your letterbox in September. Every election, we see people disappointed because their papers went to an old address, meaning they have to visit us in-person to enrol and fill out extra forms.”
Alongside voting for Palmerston North’s mayor and councillors, you will also elect representatives for Horizons Regional Council, and decide the future of Māori wards and constituencies in a binding referendum.
Palmerston North has a large transient population, meaning many people need to update their details.
“We have a lot of students, military personnel, and renters who move often. If you’ve changed addresses recently, there’s a good chance your voting papers could end up at your old place,” says Mrs White.
How to enrol and check your details
- Visit vote.nz
- Grab a form from our Customer Service Centre or from one of our libraries
- Call 0800 36 76 56
You may also want to consider swapping between the Māori and General electoral rolls. You can do this up until 11 July this year.
If you no longer live in Palmerston North, but still own a property and pay rates here, you can vote by making sure you’re registered as a non-resident ratepayer elector.
Local elections might feel far away, but voting starts well before election day. Enrolling early is the best way to ensure you get your say. Update your details by the end of June to be sure.