Opinion: Consider This Your Sign...to Enrol to Vote

Charlotte Siriman 

The 2026 election is coming, whether you’re ready for it or not. Candidates are hitting the  campaign trail, and your feeds are about to get a whole lot more political. But before you can  have your say, there’s one slightly less exciting piece of admin to sort out: making sure you’re actually enrolled to vote. 

That’s where we come in. Generation Vote is a non-partisan, volunteer-run organisation  delivering civics education across Aotearoa. We don’t tell you who to vote for; we care that young people have the information they need to participate. Decisions made in Parliament affect our education, rent, wages, public transport, healthcare and climate. You don’t need to be a political expert—you just need to get informed, get enrolled and vote. 

What Students Need to Know: 

So, I get two votes? 

Under MMP, you get two votes. Your electorate vote is for the person you want to represent  your local electorate. In 2026, there are 71 electorate seats across Aotearoa, with one MP elected from each. 

Your party vote is for the party you want represented in Parliament and largely determines each party’s overall share of seats. After electorate MPs are counted, remaining seats are filled by candidates from the party list to make Parliament broadly proportional to the party vote.  

And no, your two votes don't have to be for the same party. 

Are my details correct? 

Most importantly: are you enrolled to vote? 

The biggest change this year is that you must be registered to vote by midnight on 25 October—aka week two of the assessment period. Please don’t treat this like a final assignment. Do it now so you don’t forget. 

Already enrolled? Amazing. Now double-check that your information is up to date. This is especially important for students who may have moved cities, halls, or flats since they last enrolled. 

If you’re studying away from your family home, you can choose to remain enrolled there or enrol at the address where you’re currently living. Have a think about where you consider home and which electorate you want to have your say in, then make sure your enrolment details reflect that. 

If your details are sorted by 4 October, you’ll receive an EasyVote card from the Electoral Commission. You don’t need an EasyVote card to vote, but bringing it with you makes the process faster and easier. 

But I don’t know who to vote for? Do I even like any of the options? 

Our website (shown below) has resources, including a map of the general electorates and explainers on how voting works. Party websites are also a great place for exploring their policies and positions in more depth. Independent election-information platforms can help you compare what parties and candidates are proposing. 

Realistically, it can be hard to find a party that aligns with your views 100 percent of the time—and that’s okay! Do some research, think about the issues that matter most to you, and decide which option best reflects your own priorities. You don’t have to agree with everything a party says to make an informed choice. 

When does voting actually start? 

Aotearoa has nearly two weeks of advance voting, giving you plenty of time to make it to the polls. Advanced voting opens on 26 October and closes at 7pm on election day, 7 November. In the lead-up, chat with your mates, spread the word and make a plan to vote. You could head to the polls together or host an election-night watch party and watch the results roll in.

For more information about the election, head to generationvote.nz and follow us on social media. You’ll find links to enrol to vote, information about the election and plenty more resources to help you feel prepared.