Auckland Council has voted to bring back in-person voting for the 2028 local elections, becoming the first council in New Zealand to use voting booths since 1992.
The decision follows a review of voting methods for local elections, which looked at options to strengthen integrity and resilience of the electoral system. The options available under current legislation were postal voting, booth voting, or a combination of both.
Auckland Council General Manager Governance and Engagement, Lou-Ann Ballantyne says extensive engagement helped inform the Governing Body’s decision.
“We heard consistently from local boards, community partners and many Aucklanders that trust, visibility and convenience are the key considerations when it comes to local elections,” said Ms Ballantyne.
“Booth voting was identified as the strongest option for supporting electoral integrity and public confidence, and the Governing Body has today endorsed these findings.”
Under the new model, Aucklanders will cast their votes at staffed voting booths during an advance voting period and on election day, similar to the way New Zealanders vote in parliamentary elections.
Current estimates indicate a 10-day booth voting election would cost between $31 million and $40 million, compared with approximately $16 million for a postal election.
At today’s meeting, an amendment was made to the original recommendation directing staff to look at ways of lowering this cost to $20 million. Staff will report back on options for reducing costs in December, with final funding requirements to be considered as part of Auckland Council’s Long-term Plan 2027-2037 process.
Ms Ballantyne says detailed planning, including the locations of voting places and technological requirements, will now begin ahead of the 2028 election.
“Auckland Council will now focus on delivering a voting experience that is accessible, convenient and secure for communities across Tāmaki Makaurau,” she said.
