How to vote
Casting your vote
Voting opens on Monday, 14 September and closes at noon on Election Day, Friday 16 October 2026.
Postal voting
If you were enrolled to vote before the electoral roll closed on 6 August 2026, you should receive your voting papers in the mail.
Post your completed voting papers by 9 October 2026 to ensure they are received on time or drop them into one of the orange voting bins around the Buller District by 12 noon on Friday, 16 October 2026.
Voting bins
This is the quickest and most reliable way to make sure your vote is counted.
Simply complete your voting paper, seal it in the envelope provided, and drop it into a vote bin right up until noon on Friday 16 October at one of these locations below:
Voting bin locations
Buller District Council
6-8 Brougham Street, Westport
New World Westport
144 Palmerston St, Westport
FreshChoice Westport
18 Fonblanque St, Westport
Special voting
What is a Special Vote?
A special vote is required if you:
- Haven't received your voting papers (please allow 10 working days from Monday 14 September for these to arrive)
- Have lost or damaged your papers
- Have recently moved or your address is out-of-date
- Are on the unpublished (confidential) roll
- Will be away during the voting period
- Did not enrol before 6 August
- You recently turned 18
Special voters must complete a statutory declaration. This is a legal requirement and a protection against possible duplicate voting.
Those who have not received voting papers can still vote via the Special Vote process by first enrolling online through vote.nz. Please note, the last day to enrol to vote in the local elections is Thursday 15 October 2026 and you must be enrolled to cast a Special Vote.
Special voting facilities for the by-election will be available at the Buller District Council Office, 6-8 Brougham Street, Westport during normal office hours between Monday 14 September and midday on Friday 16 October 2026.
How to cast a special vote
1. Check you are enrolled to vote click here
2. Visit Council's office at 6-8 Brougham Street, Westport to pick up your voting papers and declaration form.
Once you receive your special voting papers, remember to deposit in the vote bins to cast your vote.
If you are not able to enrol online, visit vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/other-ways-to-enrol for more options, or call 0800 36 76 56 to arrange for enrolment forms to be collected from your nearest council service centre.
