No Voice Uncounted

Enrolment deadlines have changed. Hundreds of thousands could miss out on voting. Let’s ensure our neighbours’ voices get heard in the 2026 general election.

Every election matters, but this year, changes to electoral laws mean that there is less time to enrol to vote. We can no longer enrol on Election Day or in the two weeks prior. These changes impact over 450,000 people and particularly those already marginalised, such as renters, young people or those on the fringes of society - these groups will be less able to participate in the election and help choose decision-makers who take their needs into account.

As Christians we believe that everyone’s voice matters, and that particularly people who are most marginalised should be brought in and included.

We are organising to enrol people to vote and to remind them to follow through and vote this election, invite your faith community to be involved.

We won’t be telling you or your community which parties or candidates to vote for, but together, we can help ensure that thousands of voices that might otherwise get shut out of our democracy, get heard this election.

Youth groups, foodbanks, students, playgroups, refugees and migrant ministries - your church will have connections to people who will be affected yet unaware of these changes. Loving the neighbours around us means inviting them into this important moment in our nation’s history.

Whether you are a church leader, small group leader or just someone passionate about democracy, we invite you to go on a mission with us to ensure as many voices as possible are counted in your community.

Invitation 1: Hold an ‘Enrolment Sunday’ to get your own church enrolled and ready to vote.

  • Choose a Sunday in September (ideally 13, 20 or 27 September) to ensure your congregation has a chance to check their enrolment details.

  • We'll provide a 3-minute video to play in your notices slot about why and how to enrol. The video features Catholic Archbishop Paul Martin and Anglican Archbishop Justin Duckworth.

  • Then set up enrolment forms and laptops after the service for people to check and update their details.

  • Sign up at the button below to receive:

    • The 'Enrolment Sunday' kit, which includes the 3-minute video and sermon notes to use in your service. Available from 7 September.'

    • A recorded training from the Electoral Commission on the mechanics of enrolling people

    • One-on-one support from a Common Grace volunteer, if you would like that.

Sign up to receive resources for Enrolment Sunday

Invitation 2: Form a team to support people in your wider community to enrol to vote

Form a team (such as a home group, leadership cluster or group of friends) who can use existing relationships and missional outlets of the church to each enrol at least 5 people who might be affected by these enrolment deadline changes, and then follow up with them at voting time to make sure they vote.

Youth groups, foodbanks, students, playgroups, refugees and migrant ministries - your church will have connections to people who will be affected yet unaware of these changes. Or it might be family members, neighbours or friends you could nudge. Every conversation and every enrolment matters.

Order Enrolment forms from the Electoral Commission

Coming in October:

  • policy scorecards that track political party policies on the Cost of Living, Climate and Treaty.

  • a voting prayer that can be used in church services during the voting period

  • ‘Vote with aroha’ billboards for your home or church

FAQs

    • 4 October - last day to enrol and not have to cast a special vote

    • 25 October -last day to enrol to be able to cast special vote

    • 26 October - voting starts

    • 7 November - final voting day

    • Enrolment closes on 25 October, before voting opens.

    • We can no longer enrol and vote on the same day

    • We can no longer update details during the voting period.

    450,000 people did these things in the last election.

    The changes disproportionately affect:

    • Renters

    • Young people

    • Māori and Pacific communities

    • New residents, migrants, former refugees

    • Those with no fixed address.

  • We encourage you to prioritise physical enrolment forms, which are an easy 1 page for people to fill out. Enrolling or updating details on the vote.nz website requires people to login to a verified RealMe account, which can prove more of a barrier than manually filling in a paper form.

    It is free to order forms from the Electoral Commission, and free to send back completed forms in the mail.

    Here’s a great article from Citizens Advice Bureau on the steps of supporting people to enrol: https://www.cab.org.nz/article/KB00046212 

  • We won’t be telling you or your community which parties or candidates to vote for. Rather, together, we can help ensure that thousands of voices that might otherwise get shut out of our democracy, get heard this election.

“Māori, Asian and Pasifika communities, and younger people… are more likely to be affected by an earlier enrolment deadline.

…

“This option would create a barrier to exercising the right to vote.”

— Ministry of Justice advice on the Electoral Amendment Act changes the shortened the enrolment deadline