Telephone dictation voting

If you’re blind, partially blind or have a physical disability that means you can’t mark your voting paper without help, you can vote using the telephone dictation service.

You need to register to use the telephone dictation service in the 2023 General Election, even if you've used it at previous elections.

Who is eligible for telephone dictation voting?

You can vote using this service if you reside in New Zealand or if you are overseas.

If you live overseas or are overseas temporarily, you will also need to be one of the following:

A New Zealand citizen who’s visited New Zealand within the last 6 years
A New Zealand permanent resident who’s visited New Zealand within the last 4 years

For more information on eligibility to vote from overseas:

Enrol from overseas

How to register

If you’re eligible, you can register to vote by telephone dictation by calling one of the numbers below and selecting option 1.

0800 028 028 (from within NZ) or
+64 4 471 2000 (from overseas - international calling rates may apply)

You can call Monday to Saturday 9am to 7pm (NZ time) from Monday 11 September until noon (NZ time), Saturday 14 October .

You must be registered for telephone dictation voting by noon (NZ time), Saturday 14 October. If you haven't registered by this time, you won't be able to vote by telephone dictation.

However you can still vote:

In New Zealand at any voting place from Monday 2 October until 7pm on election day, Saturday 14 October.
From overseas, by downloading your voting papers

What to expect when you register

Everyone who registers to vote using the Telephone Dictation Service will be asked to choose a secret question and answer which only you know.

You can choose from one of three secret questions:

the name of your first primary school
the name of your first pet
the name of the street where you grew up.

You will be given a personal registration number once you have registered. Your registration number can be sent to you by email, text message, given to you over the phone, or someone can call you back. Make sure you’re ready to record your personal registration number if you want to receive it over the phone.

Your registration number and secret question are used to confirm that you're already registered when you call back to vote without giving your name to the electoral official. Please don't tell anyone your secret question or the answer to it until you call back to vote.

You'll need to know your registration number and the answer to your secret question when you call back to vote.

Registering from overseas

If you are overseas, you will be asked to confirm that you are either a

NZ Citizen who has visited NZ within the last 6 years; or
Permanent Resident of NZ who has visited within the last 4 years; or
A Public Servant, Member of the NZ Defence Force or a family member who is travelling with them.

Telephone dictation voting opens on Wednesday 27 September

If you’re registered to vote by telephone dictation, you can vote by calling one of the numbers below and selecting option 2.

0800 028 028 (from within NZ)
+64 4 471 2000 (from overseas - international calling rates may apply)

From Wednesday 27 September, you can call Monday to Saturday from 9am to 7pm until Saturday 14 October.

Your last chance to vote is on election day, Saturday 14 October from 9am to 7pm.

How to vote by telephone dictation

Once you’re connected to an electoral official you will be asked to provide your registration number. Do not give your name to the electoral official – they won't know your identity and your vote is secret. The electoral official will then ask you to answer the secret question you selected when registering.

The electoral official will read out a list of the political parties and the names of each candidate standing in your electorate. They will mark your voting paper according to your instructions.

A second electoral official will confirm that the voting papers have been marked according to your instructions.

Call us if you have any questions