The Code of Good Practice for the Management of Local Authority Elections and Polls, is a key resource for electoral officers running election processes. The Code of Good Practice has been thoroughly reviewed and upgraded.
The Code is one of the tools in the local elections and polls toolbox sitting beside the legislation and other aids. The Code is not intended to replace the legislation nor the professional advice necessary to facilitate the decision making process.
Download Part 1 (PDF 308 kb) - updated 19 September 2011
This Part of the Code sets out the role and responsibilities of the local authority in the conduct of elections and polls along with recommended good practices.
The remaining Parts set out the more detailed requirements and responsibilities of the electoral officer and staff.
Download Part 2 (PDF 314 kb) - updated 19 September 2011
This Part of the Code sets out the 2011/13 timetable on electoral system, Maori representation and review of representation arrangements and 2013 triennial elections timetable.
Download Part 3 (PDF 129 kb) - updated 19 September 2011
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act 2001 and Local Electoral Regulations 2001 and addresses the following issues including recommended good practice: appointment of deputy electoral officer, declarations and conduct, general duties of electoral officer, arrangements for carrying out duties, delegating and contracting duties and services, decision-making by electoral officer, responding to requests for and provision of information, reporting complaints and offences, and risk management.
Download Part 4 (PDF 499 kb) - updated 26 August 2011
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act 2001, Local Electoral Regulations 2001 and other relevant legislation and addresses the following issues including recommended good practice: changing electoral system, demand for a poll, timetable and conduct of poll, and information on electoral systems.
Download Part 5 (PDF 521 kb) - updated 19 September 2011
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002, Local Electoral Act 2001 and Local Electoral Regulations 2001 and addresses the following issues including recommended good practice: representation review parameters, preliminary considerations, representation review steps, the representaiton process, Maori wards and constituencies, and other representation review issues.
Download Part 6 (PDF 281 kb) - updated 19 September 2011
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002, Local Electoral Act 2001 and Local Electoral Regulations 2001 and addresses the following issues including recommended good practice: petitions, demands and requirements to hold a poll, and conduct of polls.
Download Part 7 (PDF 312 kb)
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act, the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) and other relevant legislation relating to electoral rolls and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in areas such as: the residential and ratepayer elector franchises, advertising in relation to electoral roll and compilation of electoral roll.
Download Part 8 (PDF 560 kb)
This Part of the Code is to ensure that electoral officers are aware of the importance and value of providing informative, accurate and comprehensive candidate information and also of appropriate candidate behaviour so as to assist the achievement of the Local Electoral Act principle of all qualified persons having a reasonable and equal opportunity to nominate one or more persons and accept nomination as a candidate.
Download Part 9 (PDF 481 kb)
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act, the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) and other relevant legislation relating to candidacy and nominations, and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in areas such as: candidate qualifications, the nomination process and candidate profile statements.
Download Part 10 (PDF 397 kb)
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to electoral expenses and campaign advertising and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in areas such as: electoral expense limits, apportionment of electoral expenses and return of electoral expenses and donations.
Download Part 11 (PDF 76 kb)
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to elector information and addresses the following issues, including recommended good practices, not covered in previous Parts such as elector information, national advertising campaigns, multi-lingual information and meet the candidates events.
Download Part 12 (PDF 311 kb)
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to voting and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in areas such as voting method, voting document formats and order of candidates’ names on voting documents.
Download Part 13 (PDF 401 kb)
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to special voting and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in areas such as: the statutory requirements relating to special voting, special voting premises and communication facilities, and advertising availability of special votes.
Download Part 14 (PDF 385 kb)
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to scrutineers including recommended good practices.
Download Part 15 (PDF 1.2 mb)
This Part of the Code sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to the receipt and processing of voting documents and the counting of votes/preferences, and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in areas such as roll scrutiny, early processing of votes and security of premises and processes.
Download Part 16 (PDF 201 kb)
This part sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to the release of election and poll results and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in preliminary results, declaration of official results, factors that affect official results of elections and amended declarations.
Download Part 17 (PDF 172 kb)
This part sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to post election or post poll tasks and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in forfeiture and refund of candidate deposits, securing and depositing of electoral records and post-election or poll reporting.
Download Part 18 (PDF 240 kb)
This part sets out the requirements of the Local Electoral Act and the Local Electoral Regulations 2001 (LER) relating to disputed elections and polls and addresses the following issues including recommended good practices in recount of votes cast at elections and inquiries into the conduct of elections and polls.
Dowload Part 19 (PDF 263 kb)
This part deals with the term of membership of elected members and the filling of extraordinary vacancies. The rules, both insofar as the terms of membership (particularly around members coming into office) and the filling of extraordinary vacancies are concerned, differ between the different types of local authorities.
This Code of Good Practice for the Management of Local Authority Elections and Polls has been compiled to help local authorities, electoral officers and other interested parties understand the requirements of legislation relating to local elections and polls including but not limited to the Local Electoral Act 2001, Local Electoral Regulations 2001 and amendments. This code is not a substitute for the Acts and Regulations nor for appropriate policy, legal and other advice. Elected Members and Electoral Officers are ultimately responsible for decisions relating to local elections and polls and should obtain their own advice wherever they see fit. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this code is accurate, SOLGM, the SOLGM Electoral Working Party and any other individual or organisation involved in its preparation will not accept any liability for any loss or damage arising to any organisation or person from the use of the material contained in this document.
If you have any queries about the Code please contact David Smith at SOLGM National Office (DDI 04-978-1282) ot dsmith@solgm.org.nz