Published 3 November 2026
With election day on Saturday 7 November, we’ve been hearing a lot about why people aren’t sure whether to vote, or whether it’s even worth it. These conversations are happening in all kinds of communities. Some of what we’re hearing is based on misunderstandings about how voting works. Some of it reflects a much more real frustration with politics.
Here are some of the top ‘myths’ we are hearing and our response.
“Do I need my EasyVote card to vote?”
You don’t. The EasyVote card is helpful – it speeds up the process at the voting place – but the Electoral Commission is clear that not having it does not stop you from voting. If you haven’t received your card, or have lost it, you can still walk in and cast your vote.
What you do need is to be enrolled. This year, because of changes to electoral law, enrolment closed at midnight on 25 October. If you enrolled before that deadline, you can vote now. Head to any voting place with your name and address, and the staff will find you on the roll. If they can’t find your name, request a special vote, rather than not voting at all.
If you’re unsure, go anyway. Call 0800 36 76 56 or visit vote.nz if you want to check before you go.
“What if the voting place isn’t accessible?”
The Electoral Commission has assessed voting places for physical access, and there are 2,449 full or partial accessible voting places nationwide. You can find one near you using the vote.nz accessibility map. You can vote at any voting place in New Zealand – you don’t have to use the one closest to you.
We have heard that some people are having issues with the accessibility of the voting place when they arrive. If you can’t get to a voting place or its not accessible, there are still options:
Someone can collect your voting papers for you. If you’re unable to vote in person because of illness or disability, you can authorise someone to go to a voting place and bring your papers to you. You complete them at home and they return them before 7 pm on Saturday 7 November.
Telephone dictation. If you’re blind, have low vision, or have a physical disability that means you can’t mark your voting papers, you can vote by phone. You need to register first – call 0800 028 028, or visit vote.nz/dictation.
Residential care homes and hospitals. Electoral Commission teams can bring voting services directly to residents. If you’re unsure, ask!
Staff at voting places can also assist you in person, and you’re entitled to have a support person with you.
For any of these options, visit vote.nz or call 0800 36 76 56.
“I think I’m enrolled, but I’m not sure”
This is worth taking seriously. This year, over 115,000 New Zealanders were on what’s called the dormant roll – meaning the Electoral Commission had been unable to contact them at their registered address.
People end up on the dormant roll for all sorts of reasons: moving house without updating their details, mail not arriving, or not having voted recently with details that couldn’t be confirmed. It doesn’t mean you have been struck off. People on the dormant roll remain eligible to vote. If enrolment has now closed, you can still go to a voting place and ask for a special vote. Special votes go through additional checks before they’re counted, but they count.
If there’s any uncertainty about your status, go and vote anyway. Check your details at vote.nz or call 0800 36 76 56.
“All politicians promise the world, then break their promises”
This feeling is real, and it’s widespread. Research from the OECD published in 2026 found that only around half of New Zealanders hold high or moderately high trust in central government. Since 2021, political trust here has been declining.
What we’d also say is this: many politicians work hard, care genuinely about the people they represent, and carry real responsibility for decisions that shape daily life. We won’t always agree with those decisions – but disagreeing is not a reason to step back.
For disabled people, for whānau, and for anyone who relies on government-funded support, who is in government makes a concrete difference. Decisions about how disability support is funded, how needs assessments work, whether accessible housing gets built, whether benefit settings treat people with dignity – these are not abstract. They are the difference between being able to live the life you choose and spending your energy fighting a system that wasn’t designed with you in mind. If you feel unaffected by who wins on Saturday, consider those around you who aren’t.
“I only have one vote – it won’t make a difference”
In New Zealand’s MMP system, you actually have two votes: one for your local candidate, and one for a political party. The party vote determines the overall shape of Parliament – which parties are represented, and in what proportion.
When people opt out, they don’t take their share of influence with them. They hand it to the people who do vote. In a close election, the shape of Parliament can come down to a small number of seats – and those seats can come down to a small number of votes. The choice not to vote doesn’t disappear. It lands somewhere.
For communities already underrepresented in political life, this matters more, not less. Democracy only works if we hear from everyone, so make sure you have your say.
“Disability never gets mentioned as a priority – I can’t work out where parties stand”
This one we can help with.
CCS Disability Action, alongside Disabled Persons Assembly New Zealand (DPA) and Your Way | Kia Roha, put ten disability-related questions to all the main political parties ahead of this election. Their responses are in the 2026 Disability Election Scorecard – an impartial, easy-to-read resource that shows at a glance where each party stands on rights, funding, employment, education, housing, and more. We also published a full policy analysis which you can find our website.
Both are on our election resources page.
One in six people in Aotearoa New Zealand is disabled. We deserve to be part of this conversation – and now you can see exactly what each party has committed to.
Whatever you decide, make sure it’s your choice – not a choice made by default.
Early voting is open now. Election day is Saturday 7 November, from 9am to 7pm.