Qualification of electors

1 Subject to the provisions of this Act, every adult person is qualified to be registered as an elector of an electoral district if— a that person is— i a New Zealand citizen; or ii a resident for electoral purposes; and b that person has at some time resided continuously in New Zealand for a period of not less than 1 year; and c that electoral district— i is the last in which that person has continuously resided for a period equalling or exceeding 1 month; or ii where that person has never resided continuously in any one electoral district for a period equalling or exceeding 1 month, is the electoral district in which that person resides or has last resided. 2 If a writ has been issued for an election, every person is treated, for the purposes of subsection (1)(c), as having completed a period of 1 month’s continuous residence in an electoral district if the person— a resides in the electoral district at the close of registration; and b would, if they continued to reside in the electoral district until the close of polling day, have continuously resided in the electoral district for a period equalling or exceeding 1 month. 3 Subsection (2) applies whether or not the person in fact continues to reside in the electoral district during the period between the close of registration and polling day. 1956 No 107 s 39; 1983 No 104 s 3(1); 1985 No 150 s 2(1), (2) Section 74(1)(a)(ii) : replaced , on 20 December 2025 , by section 65 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82). Section 74(2) : replaced , on 20 December 2025 , by section 6 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82). Section 74(3) : inserted , on 20 December 2025 , by section 6 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82).