Canterbury Council Boss Says Postal Voting Still Needed

Saturday, 22 March 2025, 8:18 pm
Article: David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

20 March

A North Canterbury council boss is not convinced scrapping postal voting will lead to an increase in voter turnout.

Local Government New Zealand’s electoral reform working group has called for a return to polling booths, in place of postal voting, for the 2028 local government elections.

It is one of 20 recommendations designed to boost voter turnout.

But Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said voters needed a range of options to make voting more convenient.

‘‘The stats are pretty telling as postal services are becoming less and less used, so it is becoming a bit irrelevant, and time delays, particularly in rural areas, causes confusion.

‘‘But it is convenient for some people, so anything which gives people options should be looked at.’’

In recent elections the council has placed orange boxes at libraries, service centres and supermarkets to make it more convenient for people to cast their votes.

‘‘On the last day of the election we drove around the district with an orange box to collect late votes.’’

Residents engaged in a number of ways during annual plan consultation, including online forms, email, phone, making written submissions and attending public meetings.

A similar range of options, such as online, in-person and a form of postal voting could ensure a larger turnout, Mr Dobbie said.

He wondered if holding local elections at the same time as general elections would improve voter turnout and engagement.

‘‘It would make it efficient for people as they could get all their voting done at once.

‘‘There are risks that local messages could be lost and it could politicise local elections, but it is important to make it easy for people to be heard.’’

Waimakariri District Council chief executive Jeff Millward said he did not have a view on whether postal voting should stay or go.

But he noted voter turnout among people under 55-years has increased in recent elections, while over-55s was declining.

‘‘It is good that people do take an interest in their community and vote for what they feel is right.’’

Mr Millward said the council supported its youth council, ‘‘who are enthusiastic and do a brilliant job’’.

LGNZ electoral reform group chairperson Nick Smith said moving to in-person voting for local elections offers the best opportunity to ensure the future integrity of the voting system.

‘‘It should be a nationally consistent system that’s as close an experience for the voter as possible to parliamentary elections, with a two-week timeframe in which to vote.’’

He said postal voting has become ‘‘untenable’’, while online voting trials have been unsuccessful, largely due to security and cost.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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