MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday 4 June 2008 Electoral Enrolment Centre

Almost 50,000 Kiwis Removed From Electoral Roll

Almost 50,000 people have been removed from the electoral roll in the past month – the same as a complete electorate of voters losing the right to vote or about the same as the winning margin of party votes recorded at the 2005 election.

In the past month the Electoral Enrolment Centre’s enrolment drive has seen 49,641 people taken off the electoral roll because their enrolment update packs have been returned as undeliverable.

“We are talking serious numbers of people who have been removed from the electoral roll because they’ve changed their address and not updated their enrolment details. They now need to re-enrol so their votes will count at this year’s election,” says Murray Wicks, National Manager, Electoral Enrolment Centre.

• The Wellington Central, Dunedin North, Ikaroa Rāwhiti, Waiariki and Auckland Central electorates have had the most voters removed from the rolls.

• 19,753 (40 percent) removed from the electoral rolls are aged 18 to 29 years.

“Whenever you shift house or flat you must update your enrolment details to ensure you stay enrolled to vote,” says Mr Wicks. “It’s not too late for people to enrol. We are urging them to do it now and be ready to vote whenever the election is held.

“If you didn’t get a personalised enrolment update pack early in May then you need to enrol.

“Enrolling is easy. Enrolment forms are available by freetexting your name and address to 3676, going online to www.elections.org.nz , or visiting any PostShop or calling 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56). You can also check and update your details online at the website,” says Mr Wicks.

The enrolment drive, which includes a multi media and communications programme as well as working in the community to reach people eligible to vote, continues right up until the day before election day.

The drive has been going for a month and 90.4 percent of the estimated eligible voting population or 2.836 million are now correctly enrolled to vote.

Information about enrolling to vote is available in 21 languages from www.elections.org.nz. ENDS

Electoral Enrolment Centre 2008 Enrolment Update Campaign Number of electors removed from the electoral roll since 5 May 2008 by electorate

01 Auckland Central 1,207 36 Ōtaki 519 02 Bay of Plenty 628 37 Pakuranga 608 03 Botany 649 38 Palmerston North 955 04 Central 977 39 Papakura 554 05 475 40 Port Hills 635 06 Clutha-Southland 595 41 Rangitata 530 07 Coromandel 487 42 Rangitīkei 535 08 Dunedin North 1,429 43 Rimutaka 629 09 Dunedin South 620 44 Rodney 530 10 East Coast 643 45 Rongotai 1,113 11 East Coast Bays 487 46 Rotorua 852 12 Epsom 768 47 Selwyn 151 13 Hamilton East 1,013 48 Tāmaki 504 14 Hamilton West 892 49 Taranaki-King Country 404 15 Helensville 556 50 Taupō 718 16 Hunua 380 51 Tauranga 915 17 Hutt South 907 52 Te Atatū 815 18 Ilam 716 53 Tukituki 689 19 Invercargill 632 54 Waikato 419 20 Kaikōura 473 55 Waimakariri 228 21 Mana 532 56 Wairarapa 472 22 Māngere 561 57 Waitakere 708 23 Manukau East 738 58 Waitaki 576 24 Manurewa 608 59 Wellington Central 1,689 25 Maungakiekie 899 60 West Coast-Tasman 477 26 Mt Albert 869 61 Whanganui 392 27 Mt Roskill 605 62 Whangarei 509 28 Napier 722 63 Wigram 832 29 Nelson 759 64 Hauraki-Waikato 1,045 30 New Lynn 592 65 Ikaroa-Rāwhiti 1,157 31 New Plymouth 697 66 Tāmaki Makaurau 970 32 North Shore 526 67 Te Tai Hauāuru 1005 33 Northcote 692 68 902 34 Northland 465 69 Te Tai Tonga 1,093 35 Ōhariu 532 70 Waiariki 1,180

Total 49,641

NB: a number of electorate names have macrons