The New Zealand General Election is on Saturday 14 October 2023
The rules about who can vote from overseas have changed this year.
The Green Party has fought hard to ensure voting is accessible for New Zelanders living overseas. To acknowledge that the pandemic has made travel more difficult and inaccessible for many, the government has issued a one-off extension on voting rights.
For the 2023 General Election you will be eligible to vote from overseas if:
You are 18 years or older on election day
You've lived in New Zealand for more than 12 months continuously at some time in your life
AND either you are:
A New Zealand citizen who has been in New Zealand within the last 6 years
OR
A New Zealand permanent resident who has been in New Zealand within the last 4 years
Enrolling to vote
You can check if you’re already enrolled at vote.nz. If you haven’t already enrolled from overseas, your address will be the last New Zealand address you were enrolled at. If you have voted at any point in the past, you will be on the roll!
Tip: try a few previous addresses and see if you get any matches.
If you are enrolling for the first time, you can do that at vote.nz. Have your passport or driver's license handy.
If you have any questions, you can get in contact with the Electoral Commission at [email protected] or call them on 0800 36 76 56 from NZ or overseas on +64 9 909 4182
International voting opens on September 27 2023
In some countries you will be able to vote in-person at an overseas polling place like an embassy or consulate - check closer to the time to see what options you have. Otherwise, you can download your voting papers and upload them online (print, sign, and scan or photograph), fax them, or post them to your nearest overseas voting place.
If you're on the unpublished roll you will not be able to download your voting papers. Please contact [email protected], and they will get your voting papers to you.
Your party vote can make a difference!
Our overseas votes have the power to elect one more amazing candidate from the Green Party list! Every party vote for the Green Party represents an opportunity for a more progressive government. Only the Green Party will push the government to truly address inequality in Aotearoa, to protect nature, and to take meaningful action on climate change.
Standing up for New Zealanders overseas
The Green Party celebrates the large and diverse diaspora of Aotearoa New Zealand, fosters mutually-beneficial and meaningful links to home, and safeguards our rights and well-being. With your vote this October, The Greens will help create a more equitable Aotearoa we can all be proud of.
Over the last three years, only the Green Party has advocated for the rights of all New Zealanders overseas Now, for the first time, we have a policy for overseas New Zealanders, developed by members with lived experience of living overseas. This policy is grounded in the Green Party charter, international Green values, and policies of fairness, equity and human rights.
Our plan will ensure everyone living overseas has a meaningful connection to home, and can continue to have a say in our democracy. Wherever we are in the world, Aotearoa is a special place that we should all feel connected to. The time is now to show manaakitanga, and take a compassionate approach to all our whānau living overseas.
Our Plan
- Ensure all people who whakapapa Māori are eligible for Aotearoa citizenship, regardless of country of residence or birth.
- Lengthen the repayment holiday for overseas student loan borrowers, and abolish border arrests for student loan repayment violations.
- Ensure all citizens can vote, regardless of length of time outside Aotearoa, and lengthen the time away before losing voting eligibility to 10 years for permanent residents.
- Restore the 10-year period for time spent in Aotearoa New Zealand to be eligible for superannuation.
- Pursue reciprocal healthcare, welfare support and visa waiver arrangements with other countries, and widen existing agreements.
Overseas New Zealanders Policy
We'd love to have you join us, wherever you are
Follow us @NZGreensGlobal for more information about how to enroll and vote, to meet our amazing candidates, and to find out more about Green Party policy announcements.
