The Electoral Commission manages New Zealand's electoral rolls, registering voters and maintaining their details.
To vote in the local elections on 11 October 2025, you must be registered to vote and make sure your details are up to date.
If you’re enrolled to vote for the parliamentary elections, then you’re automatically enrolled for council elections too.
If you haven't enrolled or updated your address before 5pm Friday 1 August, you won't receive your voting papers in the post.
You can still enrol to vote but you will need to cast a special vote.
To enrol to vote:
- are you 18 years or older?
- do you currently live in New Zealand?
- are you either a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident?
- have you lived in New Zealand for more than 12 months continuously at any time?
Check if you're enrolled to vote
You can enrol to vote, update your details and get help or information about the Māori or general roll
- Visit vote.nz
- Phone 0800 36 76 56
- Freetext your name and address to 3676 to enrol to vote or update your enrolment details.
Māori roll or general roll
If you're enrolling for the first time and are Māori you can chose which roll you want to be on - the Māori roll or the general roll.
You can also change your roll type in the 3 months before the local elections or a general election.
Elections NZ has all the information about the Māori electoral option, enrolling, voting and updating your details.
Ratepayer elector enrolment
If you own property in Gisborne/Tairāwhiti but live elsewhere, you may be able to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer elector and vote in both areas.
Ratepayer electors may also be eligible to enrol as a non-resident ratepayer in a council district if both of these apply:
- You're on the district valuation roll and pay rates in the council district
- the address where you're registered as a parliamentary elector is outside that council district.
Your eligibility to enrol or be nominated as a ratepayer elector may also depend on your individual circumstances, determined by the Local Electoral Act 2001.
Enrol now - the ratepayer electoral roll closes Friday 1 August
For more information, visit votelocal.co.nz
Fill in this form for Enrolment as a Ratepayer Elector
You may be eligible to enrol on the non-resident ratepayer electoral roll and vote in the Gisborne District Council local elections, if you:
- pay rates on a Gisborne property, but live elsewhere
- pay rates on 2 or more properties in different areas of Gisborne.
A company or society that pays property rates can also qualify as a ratepayer elector.
Check the Ratepayer elector enrolment
Preliminary electoral roll
The preliminary electoral roll will be available for public inspection from Friday 4 July to Friday 1 August. It will be available at
- Council's main office, 15 Fitzherbert Street, Gisborne
- Te Puia Springs service centre, 4746 Waiapu Road, Te Puia Springs.
