More than 1.25 million New Zealanders voted in the first nine days of advance voting for the 2026 general election. That’s about one in every three people enrolled.
It’s around a quarter more than at the same point in 2023, when just over 1 million people had voted. However, it’s still behind 2020, when about 1.4 million had voted by the same point before election day.
Advance voting opened on 26 October, with voting places in spots like shopping malls, community halls, schools and marae. The busiest day so far was Saturday 31 October, when more than 190,000 votes were cast.
This year, people had to be enrolled before advance voting began. The last day to enrol was 25 October, and under a new rule, people can no longer enrol and vote on the same day.
Nearly 3.8 million people are enrolled, about 94 percent of everyone who is eligible.
Advance voting finishes on Friday 6 November. On election day, Saturday 7 November, more than 2,300 voting places will be open from 9am to 7pm.
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