New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, a special vote or special declaration vote is a
vote
Voting is a method by which a group, such as a meeting or an Constituency, electorate, can engage for the purpose of making a collective decision making, decision or expressing an opinion usually following discussions, debates or election camp ...
made by an elector who is unable to cast an ordinary vote because they are unable to visit a
polling place
A polling place is where voters cast their ballots in elections. The phrase polling station is also used in American English and British English, although polling place is the building
in their own electorate or, the elector is not on the
electoral roll
An electoral roll (variously called an electoral register, voters roll, poll book or other description) is a compilation that lists persons who are entitled to vote for particular elections in a particular jurisdiction. The list is usually broke ...
.
Special votes can be made by anyone who:
* is outside of their electorate, and the polling booth is not equipped to take ordinary votes for their electorate.
* enrolled to vote after Writ Day (31 days before election day)
* is not on the printed electoral roll they believe they should be
* is on the unpublished roll
* is ill or infirm and cannot get to a polling place
* is a prisoner on remand
* can satisfy the returning officer that going to a polling place would cause hardship or serious inconvenience
* is in hospital
* is overseas
Advance ordinary voting became available at the 2011 election, so people who cannot attend a polling booth on election day can cast their vote early without having to cast a special vote.
Those in another electorate can cast a special vote at any polling place, after filling in a form explaining their reason for needing a special vote. Special polling places are set up in hospitals, maternity homes and rest homes and voting can take place in these places on election day. Voters who are overseas or otherwise unable to vote on election day, and do not have access to a hospital polling place, can vote by mail. Some New Zealand High Commissions and Embassies provide polling places.