New Zealand: 913,762 Early Votes Cast in First Week, Up 28 Percent Ahead of November 7 Election
Nearly 1 million ballots have been cast in the first week of early voting for the New Zealand general election, the country's Electoral Commission said on Monday, November 2. A total of 913,762 votes were cast between October 26 and November 1, a 28 percent jump compared with the same period during the 2023 election. Election day is Saturday, November 7.
The busiest day was Saturday, when more than 190,000 votes were issued, the commission said. Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne said voting has got off to a good start, and there are still six more days to vote. Around 600 voting places will be open daily this week, rising to more than 2,300 on election day.
The strong early turnout comes despite controversial new rules introduced by the government that ended enrolment 13 days before the November 7 election, with critics arguing the earlier cut-off could deter participation. First-week figures suggest enthusiasm has not been visibly dented.
As GSM reported earlier, the latest polls still show no clear winner or coalition grouping in the tightly contested election, so post-election negotiations are likely to decide the next government. Preliminary results will be released from 7 p.m. on election night, with official results due on November 27.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 照片：新西兰惠灵顿的提前投票站，Kiwichris 摄，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY-SA 4.0 授权 / Photo: Advance voting booth in Wellington, New Zealand, by Kiwichris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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