New Zealand Legislation: Acts
Acts are laws made by Parliament
(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
adult—
(a) means a person of or over the age of 18 years; but
(b) where a writ has been issued for an election, includes, on or after the Monday immediately before polling day, a person under the age of 18 years if that person’s 18th birthday falls in the period beginning on that Monday and ending on polling day
bribery has the meaning assigned to that term by section 216
by-election means any election other than a general election
candidate,—
(a) means a constituency candidate; and
(c) in the definition of candidate advertisement and in section 3A and Parts 6AA, 6A, 7, and 8 includes a person who has declared his or her intention of becoming a constituency candidate; and
candidate advertisement means an advertisement in any medium that may reasonably be regarded as encouraging or persuading voters to do either or both of the following:
(a) to vote for a constituency candidate (whether or not the name of the candidate is stated):
(b) not to vote for a constituency candidate (whether or not the name of the candidate is stated)
census means the census of population and dwellings carried out by the Department of Statistics pursuant to the Statistics Act 1975
Chief Electoral Officer means the Chief Electoral Officer appointed under this Act; and includes any person authorised to exercise the powers, duties, and functions of the Chief Electoral Officer
Chief Registrar means the Chief Registrar of Electors holding office under section 21; and includes his or her deputy
component party means, in relation to a registered political party (in this definition called the registered party) or in relation to a political party that is applying for registration (in this definition called the applicant party),—
(a) a political party that is a member of the registered party or of the applicant party; or
(b) a political party that has combined some or all of its membership with that of another political party and thereby formed the registered party or the applicant party or augmented the membership of such a party, as the case may be
constituency candidate means a person who has been nominated as a candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives representing an electoral district
corrupt practice means any act declared by this Act to be a corrupt practice
Corrupt Practices List, in relation to any district, means the Corrupt Practices List made out for that district under section 100
costs includes charges and expenses
Crown means Her Majesty in respect of the Government of New Zealand
current financial member, in relation to a political party, means a member of the party—
(a) whose membership of the party resulted from an application made by the member to join the party; and
(b) who is, under the party’s rules, subject to an obligation to pay to the party a membership fee—
(i) on becoming a member; and
(ii) then at specified intervals of not more than 3 years; and
(c) who has paid to the party every membership fee that has for the time being become payable by the member in accordance with those rules
district or electoral district or electorate means a General electoral district or a Maori electoral district constituted under this Act
election means an election of a member of the House of Representatives
election advertisement has the meaning given to it by section 3A
election expenses,—
(a) in relation to a constituency candidate, has the meaning given to it by section 205:
(b) in relation to a party that is registered under Part 4, has the meaning given to it by section 206
elector, in relation to any district, means a person registered, or qualified to be registered, as an elector of that district
Electoral Commission means the Electoral Commission established by section 4B
Electoral Commissioner or Commissioner means a member of the Electoral Commission
electoral official means any person that the Electoral Commission employs or engages for the purpose of assisting with the performance of its functions
electoral roll, in relation to any district, means, subject to sections 101 to 103, the forms of application for registration kept by the Registrar of persons registered as electors of that district (including a form returned following an inquiry under section 83)
eligible political party means a political party that has at least 500 current financial members who are eligible to enrol as electors
enduring power of attorney means a power of attorney described in section 95 of the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988
general election means an election that takes place after the dissolution or expiration of Parliament
General electoral district means an electoral district other than a Maori electoral district
General electoral population means total ordinarily resident population as shown in the last periodical census of population and dwellings with the exception of the Maori electoral population
Government means the Government of New Zealand
hospital means a hospital care institution within the meaning of section 58(4) of the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001
illegal practice means any act declared by this Act to be an illegal practice
issuing officer, in relation to a polling place, means the manager of the polling place or a person authorised, under section 158(3)(a), to issue ballot papers in the polling place
list candidate means any person whose name is specified in a party list submitted to the Electoral Commission under section 127
main roll, in relation to any district, means, subject to section 107, the main roll printed for the district and for the time being in force
manager, in relation to a polling place, means the person designated, under section 158(2), as the manager of the polling place
Maori means a person of the Maori race of New Zealand; and includes any descendant of such a person
Maori electoral district means an electoral district constituted under section 45
Maori electoral population means a figure representing both the persons registered as electors of the Maori electoral districts and a proportion of the persons of New Zealand Maori descent who are not registered as electors of any electoral district and a proportion of the persons of New Zealand Maori descent under the age of 18 years, which figure shall be fixed—
(a) by ascertaining a proportion determined by dividing—
(i) the total number of persons registered as at the close of the last day of the period specified in the last notice published under section 77(2) as electors of Maori electoral districts, and persons on the dormant rolls for Maori electoral districts; by
(ii) the total number of persons of New Zealand Maori descent registered as at the close of the day referred to in subparagraph (i) as electors of either General electoral districts or Maori electoral districts, and persons on the dormant rolls for Maori electoral districts and General electoral districts; and
(b) by applying the proportion ascertained under paragraph (a) to the total number of ordinarily resident persons of New Zealand Maori descent as determined by the last periodical census
medical practitioner means a health practitioner who is, or is deemed to be, registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand continued by section 114(1)(a) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 as a practitioner of the profession of medicine
member of the Defence Force means any person resident in New Zealand within the meaning of this Act who is for the time being a member of the New Zealand Defence Force constituted by section 11(1) of the Defence Act 1990; and includes any person so resident who is attached to, or employed by, or carries out duties of the New Zealand Defence Force which necessitate his or her being outside New Zealand
meshblock means statistical meshblock
Minister means the Minister of Justice
New Zealand Post or New Zealand Post Limited means the company called New Zealand Post Limited, which is incorporated under the Companies Act 1955 pursuant to the State-Owned Enterprises Act 1986; and includes that company on its reregistration under the Companies Act 1993
nomination day, in relation to any election, means the day appointed in the writ for that election as the latest day for the nomination of candidates
(a) means a political party registered under Part 4; and
(b) includes a political party that at any time during the regulated period has been registered under Part 4
party advertisement means an advertisement in any medium that may reasonably be regarded as encouraging or persuading voters to do either or both of the following:
(a) to vote for a party (whether or not the name of the party is stated):
(b) not to vote for a party (whether or not the name of the party is stated)
party secretary or, in relation to a party, secretary means the person (whatever his or her designation or office) whose duties include responsibility for—
(a) carrying out the administration of the party; and
(b) conducting the correspondence of the party
permanent resident of New Zealand has the meaning assigned thereto by section 73
personation has the meaning assigned to that term by section 215
polling day, in relation to any election, means the day appointed in the writ for that election for the polling to take place if a poll is required
polling place official means a person appointed, under section 158(1), as an official for a polling place
prescribed means prescribed by this Act or by regulations made thereunder or (for the purposes of Part 8) by rules of court
prison means a prison established or deemed to be established under the Corrections Act 2004
public inspection period means, in relation to a return filed under sections 205K, 206I, 206ZC, 209, 210, and 210C, the period—
(a) beginning 3 working days after the date of receipt by the Electoral Commission of the duly completed return; and
(b) ending with the close of polling day for the second general election that takes place after the date of receipt by the Electoral Commission of the duly completed return
public money has the same meaning as in the Public Finance Act 1989
public notice or public notification means a notice printed in some newspaper circulating in the district intended to be affected by the notice
public place has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Summary Offences Act 1981
public servant—
(a) means a person employed in the service of the Crown, not being honorary service; and
(b) includes a person employed in—
(i) the Education service as defined in the State Sector Act 1988; or
(ii) the Cook Islands Public Service; or
(iii) the Western Samoan Public Service; and
(ba) includes an electoral official; but
(bb) does not include an electoral official who has been appointed as a Deputy Electoral Commissioner or Returning Officer; and
(c) does not include any person to whom subsection (2) or subsection (3) applies; and
(d) does not include—
(i) any person by reason of his or her holding an office for which salary is payable under the Civil List Act 1979; or
(ii) any person by reason of his or her being employed in any of Her Majesty’s forces except the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Regular Force of the New Zealand Army, or the Regular Air Force of the Royal New Zealand Air Force; or
(iii) any person remunerated by fees or commission and not by wages or salary
Registrar, in relation to any district, means the Registrar of Electors appointed for that district under section 22; and includes his or her deputy
Registrar of Births and Deaths means Registrar within the meaning of section 2 of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 1995
regulated period has the meaning given to it by section 3B
residence and to reside have the meanings assigned thereto by section 72
Returning Officer means an electoral official designated under section 20B; and includes a person authorised to exercise or perform the powers, duties, or functions of a Returning Officer
roll means an electoral roll, a main roll, or a supplementary roll, as the case may be; and includes a composite roll printed under section 107
Speaker means—
(a) the Speaker of the House of Representatives; or
(b) if the Speaker of the House of Representatives is (for whatever reason) unable to act, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives; or
(c) if neither the Speaker of the House of Representatives nor the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives is (for whatever reason) able to act, an Acting Speaker of the House of Representatives who is able to act
special voter, in relation to any election, means a person qualified under this Act to vote as a special voter at that election
statement includes not only words but also pictures, visual images, gestures, and other methods of signifying meaning
supplementary roll, in relation to any district, means a supplementary roll printed for the district and for the time being in force
treating has the meaning assigned to that term by section 217
undue influence has the meaning assigned to that term by section 218
working day means any day of the week other than—
(a) Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Labour Day, the Sovereign’s birthday, and Waitangi Day; and
(b) a day in the period commencing with 25 December in any year and ending with 15 January in the following year
writ means a writ for an election issued under this Act
writ day, in relation to any election, means the day of the issue of the writ for that election.
A reference to a numbered form is a reference to the form so numbered in Schedule 2.
(2) Where any person—
(a) is appointed by the Crown, or the Government, or any department or agency of the Government to be a member of any commission, council, board, committee, or other body; or
(b) is a member of any commission, council, board, committee, or other body of which any members receive any payment out of public money,—
he or she shall not by reason of that membership be deemed to be a public servant, whether or not he or she receives any travelling allowances or travelling expenses.
(3) No person shall, by reason only of being a head of mission or head of post within the meaning of the Foreign Affairs Act 1988, be deemed to be a State servant within the meaning of section 52(1) or a public servant, whether or not that person receives any salary, allowances, or expenses.
Compare: 1956 No 107 s 2; 1975 No 28 s 6(2)(a), (b); 1979 No 12 s 3(a), (b); 1980 No 29 ss 2(1)–(4), 3(2), 5(2), (3); 1981 No 120 s 44(2); 1983 No 104 s 2(1); 1986 No 16 s 7(1); 1988 No 34 s 12; 1988 No 159 s 14(1); 1990 No 1 s 2(1), (3)–(6)
Section 3(1) anonymous: repealed, on 20 December 2007, by section 4(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2007 (2007 No 113).
Section 3(1) candidate: substituted, on 1 January 2011, by section 4(1) of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 3(1) candidate advertisement: inserted, on 1 January 2011, by section 4(3) of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 3(1) Clerk of the Writs: repealed, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) component party: inserted, on 6 December 1995, by section 2(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61).
Section 3(1) corrupt practice: substituted, on 20 December 2007, by section 4(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2007 (2007 No 113).
Section 3(1) corrupt practice: amended, on 1 March 2009, by section 4(3) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1).
Section 3(1) current financial member: inserted, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(4) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) Deputy Returning Officer: repealed, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) election advertisement: inserted, on 1 January 2011, by section 4(3) of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 3(1) election expenses: substituted, on 1 March 2009, by section 4(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1).
Section 3(1) election expenses paragraph (a): amended, on 17 August 2011, by section 4(1) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 57).
Section 3(1) election expenses paragraph (b): amended, on 17 August 2011, by section 4(2) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 57).
Section 3(1) Electoral Commission: substituted, on 1 October 2010, by section 5(1) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) Electoral Commissioner or Commissioner: substituted, on 1 October 2010, by section 5(2) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) electoral official: substituted, on 1 October 2010, by section 5(3) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) electoral roll: substituted, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(3) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) eligible political party: substituted, on 6 December 1995, by section 2(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61).
Section 3(1) hospital: substituted, on 1 October 2002, by section 58(1) of the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001 (2001 No 93).
Section 3(1) illegal practice: substituted, on 20 December 2007, by section 4(3) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2007 (2007 No 113).
Section 3(1) illegal practice: amended, on 1 March 2009, by section 4(4) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1).
Section 3(1) issuing officer: inserted, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(4) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) list candidate: inserted, on 1 March 2009, by section 4(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1).
Section 3(1) list candidate: amended, on 1 October 2010, by section 32(1)(a) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) manager: inserted, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(4) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) Maori electoral population paragraph (a): substituted, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(5) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) medical practitioner: inserted, on 18 September 2004, by section 175(1) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (2003 No 48).
Section 3(1) mental institution: repealed, on 1 September 2004, by section 51 of the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 (2003 No 115).
Section 3(1) New Zealand Post or New Zealand Post Limited: amended, on 1 July 1994, by section 2 of the Company Law Reform (Transitional Provisions) Act 1994 (1994 No 16).
Section 3(1) party: substituted, on 1 January 2011, by section 4(2) of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 3(1) party advertisement: inserted, on 1 January 2011, by section 4(3) of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 3(1) party secretary: inserted, on 1 March 2009, by section 4(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1).
Section 3(1) penal institution: repealed, on 1 June 2005, by section 206 of the Corrections Act 2004 (2004 No 50).
Section 3(1) polling place official: inserted, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(4) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) prison: inserted, on 1 June 2005, by section 206 of the Corrections Act 2004 (2004 No 50).
Section 3(1) public inspection period: inserted, on 1 March 2009, by section 4(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1).
Section 3(1) public inspection period: amended, on 1 January 2011, by section 4(4) of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 3(1) public inspection period paragraph (a): amended, on 1 October 2010, by section 32(2)(a) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) public inspection period paragraph (b): amended, on 1 October 2010, by section 32(2)(a) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) public servant paragraph (b)(i): substituted, on 3 May 1997, by section 5 of the State Sector Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 8).
Section 3(1) public servant paragraph (b)(iii): amended, on 1 October 2010, by section 5(4) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) public servant paragraph (ba): inserted, on 1 October 2010, by section 5(5) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) public servant paragraph (bb): inserted, on 1 October 2010, by section 5(5) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).
Section 3(1) Registrar of Births and Deaths: inserted, on 28 July 1997, by section 7 of the Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 35).
Section 3(1) Registrar of Births and Deaths: amended, on 24 January 2009, by section 47 of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Amendment Act 2008 (2008 No 48).
Section 3(1) regulated period: inserted, on 1 January 2011, by section 4(3) of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 3(1) Returning Officer: substituted, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(6) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
Section 3(1) secretary: repealed, on 1 March 2009, by section 4(5) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1).
Section 3(1) Speaker: substituted, on 28 February 2002, by section 3(7) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1).
