Enrolment to vote

Regional differences

Note: Regional data is presented according to enrolment status as at August 2009, and so is not directly comparable to data regarding enrolment on Writ Day in the year of a General Election (at which time there has generally been a period of heavy media promotion to encourage people to enrol to vote). 

In August 2009, estimated voter enrolment rates for young people aged 18 to 24 varied greatly across different New Zealand electorates.(1)

The electorates with the highest proportion of 18 to 24 year olds enrolled to vote were New Plymouth (100.6 percent), Wairarapa (96.3 percent) and Rangitata (95.6 percent). The electorates with the lowest proportion of 18 to 24 year olds registered to vote were Wellington Central (66 percent), Dunedin North (54.9 percent) and Auckland Central (50.8 percent).

Proportion of estimated voting population aged 18 to 24 enrolled to vote, by region, August 2009
Electoriate Proportion (%)
Auckland Central 50.8
Bay of Plenty 84.8
Botany 76.9
Christchurch Central 66.6
Christchurch East 80.4
Clutha-Southland 84.6
Coromandel 92.5
Dunedin North 54.9
Dunedin South 86.0
East Coast 80.0
East Coast Bays 77.0
Epsom 79.0
Hamilton East 69.0
Hamilton West 84.7
Helensville 81.4
Hunua 94.2
Hutt South 79.8
Ilam 66.4
Invercargill 94.5
Kaikōura 87.6
Mana 83.6
Māngere 79.4
Manukau East 72.5
Manurewa 81.8
Maungakiekie 82.8
Mt Albert 66.7
Mt Roskill 73.9
Napier 86.1
Nelson 89.3
New Lynn 76.2
New Plymouth 100.6
North Shore 83.4
Northcote 78.5
Northland 71.7
Ōhariu 86.6
Ōtaki 91.4
Pakuranga 76.3
Palmerston North 70.1
Papakura 80.7
Port Hills 90.0
Rangitata 95.6
Rangitīkei 71.9
Rimutaka 81.0
Rodney 88.6
Rongotai 77.4
Rotorua 80.5
Selwyn 80.4
Tāmaki 81.2
Taranaki-King Country 82.5
Taupō 80.0
Tauranga 83.1
Te Atatū 76.0
Tukituki 90.2
Waikato 81.9
Waimakariri 90.3
Wairarapa 96.3
Waitakere 80.5
Waitaki 91.9
Wellington Central 66.0
West Coast-Tasman 88.4
Whanganui 88.9
Whangarei 81.9
Wigram 66.9

Source: Electoral Enrolment Centre.
Note: Figures are based on the number of enrolled voters at 31 August 2009 as proportion of the estimated voter population at 30 June each year.

Notes

1. Estimated population statistics as at 30 June 2008 (Provisional) using 2006 census data. Enrolment statistics as at 31 August 2009.  Source: Electoral Enrolment Centre (http://www.elections.org.nz/ages/electorate_all.html), accessed 10 August 2008.