What resources have the Electoral Commission allocated to ensuring people are enrolled to vote and is it more than previous Budget?

Answer

To ensure people are enrolled to vote, the Commission has an Enrolment Strategy. I am advised the Commission’s Enrolment Strategy provides access to trusted and timely information for the public through a variety of channels, and regular access to facilities where voters can enrol or update their details ahead of the roll close on 25 October 2026. The Commission has budgeted $18.07m for enrolment related expenditure for the 2026 General Election. This is in comparison to total enrolment related expenditure of $10.8m for the 2023 General Election. The following activities are being implemented in support of the Enrolment Strategy: • Public Information Campaign. This describes all the ways the Commission engages and communicates with the public. It includes multi-format key messages, instructions and guidance for voters and community groups, and stakeholder packs that support community champions to share key messages at the right time. These messages are focused on key dates and actions required. • Community Education. This is a continuous face-to-face educational approach with schools, education providers, community groups, iwi / hapū and other stakeholders. The Commission’s engagement is focused in areas with lower rates of participation and with population cohorts most likely to be affected by the changes, including Māori, Pasifika, youth, disability and ethnic communities. • Youth Action Plan. This guide for engaging youth provides the Commission’s key messages in simple, youth-friendly language, and is being implemented with schools, education providers, sports clubs, community groups and other locations where youth gather. Youth Advocate roles will be recruited to bolster delivery of the Youth Action Plan ahead of this year’s election. • Community Education Fund. The Community Education Fund (CEF) provides small grants for community-led projects focused on enrolment uptake and education. The fund is being delivered over two phases: MEO and the general election. The fund will provide small grants to support politically neutral community education projects in communities that have lower rates of enrolment and participation. • Mobile Enrolment. Mobile hubs are operating across the country from the end of April 2026. Mobile enrolment focused on regional and rural locations to enable quick access to information and to support people to enrol. • Enrolment Hubs. Enrolment hubs will be established in two phases, firstly in the four weeks before Writ Day (4 October 2026) where the Commission will establish up to 10 hubs in high traffic locations such as malls. Secondly, in the two weeks before advanced voting starts, the Commission will identify and secure suitable locations that will go on to become voting places. Hubs will be in Whangārei, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. • Partner networks. The Commission is working with public sector and community stakeholders to provide information through their networks. This includes local authorities, population agencies, service providers and other public-facing agencies as appropriate. • Customer Services. This platform provides a key pathway for the public to communicate with the Commission and get advice on enrolment, voting and where to access support.