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With two weeks before the elections, New Zealanders living abroad are being asked to make their voices heard by the “team of 5 million” at home.
Every Kiwi Vote Counts, a new non-partisan initiative, seeks to increase low turnout among foreign voters with a tongue-in-cheek social media campaign that encourages Kiwis abroad to “meddle” in their election.
The Every Kiwi Vote Counts campaign video
Founder Tracey Lee, a brand strategist and sociologist, said the goal was to encourage “global kiwis” to play their role in shaping New Zealand’s future, in light of their contribution to the country from afar and in case of her return.
The referendums on the choice of the end of life and the legalization of cannabis will also have an impact on the country beyond the election of the next government.
“Global kiwis have a unique and useful perspective,” Lee wrote in an op-ed for The Spinoff. “They represent a quarter of our population with tertiary education. As citizens of New Zealand, they have been exposed to different systems, cultures, and workplaces.
“Just as ‘intellectual diversity’ is recognized as a benefit to boards, we would benefit from the diversity of thought of our voters. Her vision for New Zealand is long-term, as are the challenges we face as a nation. It is time we faced our future as a team of 6 million. “
Lee suggested that in the future New Zealand might consider appointing a “minister for the diaspora”, as Ireland has done since 2014 (although the Irish diaspora is not allowed to vote from abroad).
As a “circular migrant” now returning to New Zealand after 15 non-consecutive years abroad, Lee had voted in elections in New York, Shanghai and Amsterdam, but most of the time, the diaspora did not participate.
Only 61,524 overseas votes were recorded in the last elections in 2017, most from Australia, the UK, Germany and China, although there are an estimated 568,000 New Zealand-born residents in Australia alone.
A 2018 government analysis of voter turnout in the 2014 elections found that the second most common reason for the non-participation of eligible New Zealanders (after “disengagement”) was “a perceived barrier”, which included being in the Foreign.
But the trend line has been upward from 21,496 overseas votes in the 2011 elections and 40,132 in 2014.
As of September 28, the Elections Commission said that around 67,000 New Zealand voters were registered at an overseas address. With registration open until the night before the election, Lee is hopeful that the Every Kiwi Vote Counts campaign can increase that number.
The New Zealand diaspora is often estimated at 1 million (although a 2012 government analysis was more cautious). Based on in-country eligibility rates, Lee suggested that “a conservative estimate” placed the total eligible overseas voters at 600,000, ten times the size of the electorates in Auckland Central, Wellington Central or Christchurch Central.
But many will not be eligible to register under laws that require citizens to have visited the country in the past three years (and residents in the past 12 months).
An Italy-based New Zealander named Hayley, who did not want her last name published, told Stuff that her plans to return home before the election, in part to secure her vote, had been interrupted by the pandemic. She called for the three-year requirement to be extended to four, to “cover those of us who wanted to go home but couldn’t.”
But when the issue was raised at a post-Cabinet press conference in late July, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern showed no intention of revising the law.
“He would have to determine and demonstrate the intention to return. I don’t think it’s something we can create an easy legislative solution to. For anyone caught in those circumstances, it saddens me. I want people to feel like they have that connection, but of course voting is just one way to show their connection to New Zealand. “
How to vote from abroad
In order to vote, New Zealanders abroad must be citizens who have been visiting since October 17, 2017; or permanent residents who have visited you in the last 12 months.
New Zealand civil servants and defense force personnel (and their families) working abroad have an exception.
Eligible foreign voters must register before midnight (New Zealand time) on Friday, October 16, while voting closes at 7 pm (New Zealand time) on Election Day, Saturday, October 17, but the Electoral Commission recommends doing both in advance.
You can register or check or update your data here. You will need a New Zealand passport, a driver’s license or a RealMe government login.
Once registered, the easiest way to vote is to download and print the ballot papers at this link. There will be a ballot for the general elections and another for the referendums on the choice of the end of life and the cannabis reform.
Once completed, these can be returned in the following ways:
The option to return votes to New Zealand by mail was removed after the last election, as the number was not received in time to be counted. E-mail votes are not accepted.
Learn more, or vote, at https://vote.nz/overseas/
