Special Votes

Your vote counts. For those people who are not on the electoral roll for this year’s elections, or who will be away from the area, special votes are now available. Voting papers will be posted to residents from 17-22 September 2010. If you don’t receive them – perhaps because you have just registered to be on the roll, you moved house, or have turned 18 – you are eligible to cast a special vote.

People who have chosen to be on the confidential roll can also cast special votes. This roll caters for people who don’t want their address made public because of the nature of their jobs. Special voting facilities are available from 17 September 2010 at the Council’s main office, 2 King George Place, Timaru and at the Geraldine and Temuka Service Centres during normal office hours, up until noon on Saturday 9 October 2010.

Special voting documents can also be posted to electors. Request yours by phoning the Electoral Officer on (03) 687 7200.

Voters fill out a declaration form explaining their reasons for casting a special vote, e.g. not on the roll, change of address etc.

Voting documents must be received by the Electoral Officer by 12 noon on Saturday 9 October 2010. So if mailing your form, postal times need to be taken into account.

You will receive your voting papers between 17 and 22 September 2010. It is suggested that you have them back in the post by Wednesday 6 October 2010 to ensure that they are received by the Electoral Officer in time to be counted. The earlier you vote, the better.

How to get on the Electoral Roll

It’s easy to enrol to vote if you:

• are 18 years or older
• are a New Zealand Citizen or permanent resident
• have lived in New Zealand for more than one year continuously at some time in your life

To obtain an enrolment form:

• Call 0800 36 76 56
• Freetext your name and address to 3676
• Visit any Post Shop
• Visit the elections website www.elections.org.nz and enrol or update your details online

Residential Electoral Roll

To have your say at the elections, make sure you are on the electoral roll.

All parliamentary electors are automatically enrolled on the local authority residential electoral roll at the address where they live.

If you have turned 18 you will need to enrol to VOTE and, if you have moved house since the last election, you should update your details (address details, postal details etc). To do this:

• Call 0800 36 76 56

• Freetext your name and address to 3676
• Visit any Post Shop
• Visit the elections website www.elections.org.nz and enrol or update your details online

Council will also have some enrolment packs available from its offices in Timaru, Temuka and Geraldine.

Non-Resident Ratepayer Roll

If you live in one local authority district or community board area but pay rates on a property in another, you may be eligible to enrol on the non-resident ratepayer roll. Information will be sent to all ratepayers in February 2010.

A firm, company, corporation or society paying rates on a property may nominate one of its members or officers as a ratepayer elector (providing the nominated person resides outside of the area).

• Click here for more information Non-Resident Ratepayer Roll Flyer 2010 (243.02 kB)
• Click for the enrolment form Non-Resident Ratepayer Roll Enrolment Form (211.13 kB)

Contact us if you have any questions.

Ward Boundaries

The Timaru District is divided into 3 wards, which are represented by a Mayor and 10 Councillors. What ward you live in determines which ward you vote in. The Council determines ward boundaries depending on area and population to meet population requirements of the Local Electoral Act.

Map of Timaru District Ward Boundaries (54.47 kB).

Make Your Vote Count

The elections are held by postal vote.  Voting documents will be sent to electors between 17 September and 22 September 2010.

Voting documents must be returned to the Council office by 12 noon on Saturday, 9 October 2010 to be counted.

You can either post your documents back in the pre-paid envelope or drop them into the voting box at the Council Offices in Timaru, Temuka or Geraldine.  The office will be open on the Saturday morning of 9 October for the return of voting documents.

Every VOTE counts so make sure you return yours.