Need help to vote?

The content on this page can be viewed in the following languages
  • English (active language)
  • Māori

You can get help to vote if you need it. Options may include voting with help from a support person or the telephone dictation service.

Please contact us if you would like to talk over your options:

Freephone 0800 36 76 56

Voting with help from a support person

If you need help to read or mark your voting paper, a friend, family member or electoral official can be your support person.

Your support person can:

  • Go behind the voting screen with you
  • Read out the words and information on your voting paper
  • Mark the voting papers for you if you ask them to

Your support person can’t tell you who you should vote for in the general election.

Voting with the telephone dictation service

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

You need to register to use this service, even if you’ve used it at previous elections.

Voting places

Some voting places can be quite busy at certain times of the day. If you’d prefer to vote when it’s quieter, or if you may need assistance, the best times to vote are typically between 9am – 11am and 2pm – 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Voting when you can’t get to a voting place

We always provide voting services for people who can’t get to a voting place, for example, because of poor health or mobility.

Can’t get to a voting place

Voters living with dementia

People living with dementia, or any other cognitive impairment, are able to continue to vote if they wish to do so.

We have an Easy Read Guide to Voting for people who have difficulty reading and understanding written information. We also have information on voting in the election in a range of alternate formats.

Voting information in alternate formats