Every three years, New Zealanders are asked to decide who will represent them in Parliament. But before you can vote, there are a few things worth knowing - especially this year, after changes to enrolment rules mean you can no longer enrol once voting has started.
Before we get into how voting works, there are two important dates to know.
6 August
If you’re of Māori descent and want to switch between the Māori Roll and the General Roll, you’ll need to switch by midnight on 6 August.
25 October
This is the last day to enrol to vote.
Unlike previous elections, you won’t be able to enrol once advance voting begins on 26 October.
Am I enrolled?
Before you can vote, you need to be enrolled.
If you’re already enrolled, it’s worth checking your details are still up to date - especially if you’ve moved house or changed your name.
One of the biggest changes this election is that you can no longer enrol once advance voting begins.
That means you’ll need to enrol before 26 October if you want to vote.
Enrol or update online | Vote NZ
Māori Roll or General Roll?
When you enrol, you’ll choose whether you’re on the Māori Roll or the General Roll.
If you’re of Māori descent, you can choose either.
Whether you’re on the Māori Roll or the General Roll, every voter gets the same two votes.
The difference is which electorate you’re part of, and who you can vote for to represent you and your rohe in Parliament.
Māori Roll
You vote in a Māori electorate which decides what MP represents you in that area.
You must be of Māori descent to go on the Māori roll.
There are 7 Māori electorates. They are Hauraki-Waikato, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, Tāmaki Makaurau, Te Tai Hauāuru, Te Tai Tokerau, Te Tai Tonga, and Waiariki.
General Roll
You vote in a general electorate which decides what MP represents you in that area.
Anyone who is 18+, a NZ citizen or resident, and has lived in NZ for 12+ months at some point can go on the general roll.
As of 2026, there are 64 general electorates.
Why are there two electoral rolls?
In short, representation.
Electorate seats are guaranteed seats in Parliament. The Māori Roll exists to ensure Māori have dedicated representation in Parliament through the seven Māori electorates.
Māori voters have until 6 August to switch between the Māori Roll and the General Roll. After that date, you’ll stay on your chosen roll until after the election.
Why do I get two votes?
Every voter gets two votes in the General Election:
Party vote
Chooses how many seats each party gets in Parliament.
For example, if you vote for a party and that party ends up receiving 20% of the party vote nationwide, it should get roughly 20% of the 120 seats (24 seats) in Parliament.
The party vote is what usually determines who forms the Government.
Electorate (candidate) vote
Chooses your local MP (member of Parliament).
Electorate votes help smaller communities in Aotearoa be heard.
Some groups may not be supported by the big political parties, but electorate votes make sure their ideas and needs are still considered.
So, how does MMP work?
MMP stands for Mixed Member Proportional. It’s the voting system New Zealand uses to elect Parliament.
In simple terms, MMP combines:
- your party vote, which helps decide how many seats each political party gets in Parliament
- your electorate vote, which chooses your local MP.
The aim is to balance nationwide support for political parties with local representation.
This means every voter has a say in both who represents their local community and how Parliament is made up overall.
One last reminder
The biggest change this election is simple:
You can’t enrol when you go to vote anymore (which you were able to do in the past).
If you want your say in the 2026 General Election, make sure you’re enrolled before voting opens on 26 October.