RESEARCH CONFIRMS MANY NEW ZEALANDERS COMPLACENT ABOUT ENROLLING TO VOTE

The latest research on enrolment behavior confirms that many New Zealanders are complacent about enrolling for this year’s general election.

Electoral Enrolment Centre (EEC) National Manager Murray Wicks said the research indicates that 400,000 eligible electors yet to enrol intend to do so but just “aren’t getting around to it”.

Key findings of the research, which involved telephone interviews with 354 eligible electors, included:
 Over one third of those who have yet to enrol don’t have any idea, even in vague terms, when the next general election is likely to be held. Of the respondents who hadn’t yet enrolled, 91 per cent indicated that they were intending to enrol.
 21 per cent of those who had yet to enrol had put aside their completed enrolment card to return at a later date.
 84 per cent of those who had yet to enrol were aware of the need to complete and return an enrolment card. This indicates that lack of knowledge isn’t a contributing factor to people not responding.

“EEC is pleased that most eligible electors are aware that they need to enrol in order to vote in the election,” said Mr Wicks.

“We do, however, encourage electors that haven’t yet enrolled to enrol as soon as they can and for people to get their completed forms off their fridges and coffee tables and send these in. While the election may still seem like a long time away, it can be called at anytime so enrolling now means people can relax with the confidence of knowing their vote will count.”

Mr Wicks said that around one third of those respondents who had yet to enrol perceived the enrolment process to be inconvenient.

“Enrolling is, however, very quick and easy to do. People can enrol on the spot at any Post Shop and enrolment forms are available by calling 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56) or from the elections website at www.elections.org.nz.”

Mr Wicks said that 2.3 million New Zealanders were currently enrolled to vote in the election. This figure represents around 84.5 per cent of the potential voting population.

“This means there are still about 400,000 New Zealanders who wouldn’t be able to cast a valid vote if an election was held tomorrow.”

ENDS

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