Auckland Council has scrapped postal-only voting for the next local elections, though the switch could cost up to two and a half times as much.
Aucklanders will cast their votes in person at the 2028 local elections after Auckland Council voted to bring back booth voting.
The council’s Governing Body made the decision on 29 September, making Auckland the first council in New Zealand to use voting booths since 1992.
It follows a review of local election voting methods aimed at strengthening the integrity and resilience of the system.
Under current law, councils can choose postal voting, booth voting or a mix of both.
Under the new model, voters will go to staffed booths during an advance voting period and on election day, much like a general election.
Auckland Council general manager governance and engagement Lou-Ann Ballantyne said local boards, community partners and residents consistently identified trust, visibility and convenience as the key considerations.
“Booth voting was identified as the strongest option for supporting electoral integrity and public confidence, and the Governing Body has today endorsed these findings,” she said.
The change will not come cheap.
A 10-day booth election is estimated to cost between $31 million and $40 million, compared with about $16 million for a postal election.
An amendment made at the meeting directs staff to look for ways to bring that cost down to $20 million.
Staff will report back on cost-cutting options in December, with final funding to be settled through the council’s Long-term Plan 2027-2037.
Ballantyne said detailed planning, including where voting places will be and what technology is needed, will now begin.
The council says it will keep pushing for longer-term electoral reform, including a bigger role for the Electoral Commission and possible online voting if the law allows.
