Enrol - Whakauru
To vote in these elections, you must be enrolled. By law, you must enrol if you’re eligible, but enrolling so you can vote is a much better reason!
You can enrol to vote in the General Roll or the Maaori Roll if:
- you are 18 years or older,
- You are a New Zealand citizen
- you are a permanent resident, and you’ve lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more at some time in your life.
If you’re already enrolled, make sure your details are up to date – it’ll take two minutes.
Choosing a roll to roll with
Kei a koe te tikanga. It’s your choice. We’ll lay out the facts for you, and leave it to you to decide which roll you enrol in.
The General Roll
- Anyone can be on the General Roll
- You’ll vote for candidates in either East or West Ward, and the mayor.
- There are six seats in each ward.
The Maaori Roll
- People with Maaori ancestry can choose to go on the Maaori Roll
- This is a citywide ward – which means that you can vote for this ward, no matter where you live in Hamilton.
- There are two seats in the Maaori Ward.
- You will also vote for the mayor.
Why two Maaori seats?
Fair representation means that the number of Maaori Ward seats is proportional to the Maaori electoral population in Hamilton. Currently the Maaori electoral population in Hamilton is 15.1% of the total electoral population. This means that with 14 councillors in total, two (or 14.3%) of them must be Maaori seats. This is the number of seats that gets us the closest to 15% of all councillor seats.
General elections
It’s important to keep in mind that the choice you make when enrolling will also affect how you vote in national elections. If you choose the Maaori Roll now, you will also be enrolled on the Maaori Roll for the next general election in 2023, and you will vote for candidates in your Maaori Electorate (instead of the General Electorate).
Changing your mind
Once you choose a roll, you won’t be able to change it until the next Maaori Electoral Option, which occurs after a population census, usually every five years. The next Maaori Electoral Option is in 2024. So, whichever roll you choose now will also be your decision for the 2023 general election.
Making your decision
If you can’t decide which roll to choose, it might help to talk it over with friends and whaanau.
When you’ve decided, take five minutes to enrol online.
Key Contacts
Electoral Officer
Dale Ofsoske, Election Services
PO Box 5135, Wesley Street
Auckland 1141
09 973 5212
dale.ofsoske@electionservices.co.nz
electionservices.co.nz
Hamilton City Governance Team
elections@hcc.govt.nz
07 838 6439