30 November 2023
Hemant
By email to:
[FYI request #24646 email]
Dear Hemant
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 2022/97
Thank you for your request of 3 November 2023 under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act)
regarding the 2023 election results. Specifically, you have asked for:
Can I please get a copy of all correspondence, internal and external that discusses returning
the 2023 election results in faster than the maximum allowed time under law.
My understanding is that the latest that the results can be released is 2pm today, but there is
nothing stopping you releasing the results earlier.
The Electoral Commission does not hold any correspondence about releasing the 2023 election results
earlier than the maximum time allowed under the law. On this basis your request is refused under
18(e) of the Act.
The Electoral Commission starts the official count the day after election day and the Chief Electoral
Officer declares the official results 20 days after election day.
The law makes it clear that the official results can only be released when all the ballot papers for an
electorate have been processed, including special votes. The deadline for returning special votes to
the correct electorate for counting is 10 days after election day, and the Commission must then check
every special vote to make sure each person is enrolled and eligible to vote.
At the 2017 General Election, it took two weeks for special votes to be counted because eligible
electors couldn’t enrol to vote on election day. After the 2017 General Election, the timeframe that
the Commission uses to deliver the official count for future general elections was extended by a week,
to allow for additional checks to be undertaken due to
an amendment to the Electoral Act 1993, which
allows eligible electors to enrol to vote on election day.
In the interests of transparency, we release responses to Official Information Act requests every 3
months. We will publish this response with your personal details redacted.
Electoral Commission
Level 4, 34-42 Manners Street, PO Box 3220, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 495 0030 Fax +64 4 495 0031
www.vote.nz | www.elections.nz
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to make a complaint to the Ombudsman if you are
not satisfied with the response to your request. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Martin Rodgers
Director Voting Services
Electoral Commission
Level 4, 34-42 Manners Street, PO Box 3220, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 495 0030 Fax +64 4 495 0031
www.vote.nz | www.elections.nz
