How is the national electoral register created?

New Zealand, Electoral Act 1993 (reprint as at 1 July 2018), accessed 15 October 2020

82 Compulsory registration of electors

(1) A person who is qualified to be registered as an elector of any electoral district and who is in New Zealand must apply to the Electoral Commission for registration as an elector—

(a) within 1 month after the date on which he or she first becomes qualified to be registered as an elector:

(b) within 1 month after the date on which he or she ceases to be registered as an elector by reason of the inclusion of his or her name on the dormant roll under section 89G.

(2) Any person aged 17 years or older, but under 18 years, may apply to the Electoral Commission for registration as an elector, and that person is not then required to apply for registration as an elector on attaining the age of 18 years.

83 Application for registration

(1) An application for registration as an elector may be made to the Electoral Commission—

(a) in writing, by completing and signing a form that the Electoral Commission has approved and returning it to the Electoral Commission; or

(b) in an approved electronic medium, by providing the information necessary to complete the form.

Electoral Commission of New Zealand uses both traditional paper based applications for voter registration and also online form which voters can use to register to vote or update their registration details.