WELLINGTON, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Voting places across New Zealand opened their doors today, for voters to cast their advance votes for the 2020 General Election and referendums.
According to the New Zealand Electoral Commission, nearly 450 advance voting places across the country are now open, with more voting places in the fortnight, leading up to election day on Oct 17. On Oct 10, about 1,350 voting places will be open. On election day, there will be 2,600 voting places cross New Zealand.
Chief Electoral Officer, Alicia Wright, from the New Zealand Electoral Commission, said that, the popularity of advance voting has been rising steadily, which accounted for 47 percent of all votes in 2017, and was expected to reach as much as 60 percent in this year’s election.
“Our message is to vote early and vote local because it’s more convenient and minimises election day queues, which lessens the risk of COVID-19,” said Wright.
“We’ll still be running the election as though the country were at Alert Level 2, so there will be physical distancing, use of hand sanitizer, voluntary contact tracing, single-use pens to mark voting papers, and personal protective equipment on hand, for staff, in case it’s needed.”
Arrangements are in place for people in hospitals, rest homes, remand centres, prisons, managed isolation or quarantine facilities and overseas to cast their vote. Postal voting and takeaway voting are available to those unable to get to a voting place, according to the Electoral Commission.
New Zealand uses the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting system to elect its Parliament. Under this system, the Government is usually formed by two or more parliamentary political parties.
For the 53rd New Zealand Parliament, to be elected in this election, there will be 120 members of parliament plus any overhang seats, including 72 representatives for 72 geographical electorates and the rest, seats from political party lists.
New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, is now at COVID-19 Alert Level 2 and the rest of the country at Alert Level 1. Public gatherings are limited to 100 people at COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of 18 years or older, who have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more, at some time in their life, are eligible to vote in the election.– NNN-AGENCIES
