New Zealand Legislation: Regulations

18 Returning officer must prepare voting documents

• (1) If an election is to be held, the returning officer must arrange for a sufficient number of voting documents to be prepared.

  (2) Each voting document must—

  • (a) be uniquely numbered (unless that voting document is a copy of an electronic voting document, or record of an electronic voting document, as described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of the definition of voting document, in which case that copy or record must bear the unique number of the original electronic voting document supplied to the voter); and

  • (b) set out—

    • (i) the position or positions to be filled at the election; and

    • (ii) the name under which each candidate is seeking election, listed in alphabetical order of the candidates' surnames; and

    • (iii) the date and time by which votes must be received by the returning officer; and

    • (iv) the voting method or methods to be used; and

    • (v) information that is sufficient to identify the person to whom the voting paper is issued on the roll of persons entitled to vote in that election; and

    • (vi) information that is necessary to distinguish between any candidates that have the same or very similar names; and

    • (vii) an illustration of how and where on the voting paper the voter must indicate his or her vote; and

  • (c) include the following instructions to the voter:

    • (i) to read the directions carefully before voting:

    • (ii) to vote for 1 candidate only:

    • (iii) how and where on the voting document the voter must indicate his or her vote (for example, by ticking a box):

    • (iv) what the voter should do if he or she spoils the voting document:

    • (v) what the voter must do with the voting document after indicating his or her vote on it:

    • (vi) any other requirements that are particular to the voting method being used.

  (3) Voting documents may contain any other information that the returning officer considers appropriate to ensure that—

  • (a) all voters who are qualified to vote have a reasonable and equal opportunity to vote; and

  • (b) the secrecy of the vote is maintained.