New Zealand Legislation: Regulations

23 Early processing of votes

• (1) The returning officer may, before the close of voting, begin to process voting documents that are received by him or her during the voting period.

  (2) If the returning officer decides to begin processing votes before the close of voting,—

  • (a) he or she must appoint at least 1 Justice of the Peace, and may appoint as many additional Justices as the returning officer considers necessary, to observe the processing of those voting documents; and

  • (b) the processing of any voting document that is partly processed at the close of voting must be completed after the close of voting.

  (3) At least 1 Justice of the Peace appointed under subclause (2)(a) must be present when—

  • (a) any voting document is processed during the voting period under subclause (1); and

  • (b) the processing of any voting document is completed after the close of voting under subclause (2)(b).

  (4) No scrutineer may be present when any voting document is processed during the voting period under subclause (1).

  (5) Any scrutineer may be present when the processing of any voting document is completed after the close of voting under subclause (2)(b).