The elections you can vote in depends on where you live in the District, and the number of candidates that are put forward for election. If you are not enrolled, you will not receive a voting paper.

Click the link below and follow the instructions to see what you will receive a vote for. This is based on the location where you are registered as a parliamentary elector.

Where can I vote? (opens in separate window)

Electors must ensure their completed voting documents are completed and returned by 12 noon on Saturday 8 October. There is one voting system used on the Voting document for this election – First Past The Post (FPP).

If you do not receive your voting pack, you will need to request a special voting document from the Electoral Officer or Deputy Electoral Officer on (03) 687 7200. You can also get special votes by visiting Service Centres in Geraldine and Temuka or from the main Council office in Timaru.

All resident electors and non-resident ratepayer electors whose names appear on the parliamentary electoral roll are eligible to vote in local government elections.

• Resident Roll - If you are on the parliamentary roll you will automatically be enrolled on the local body residential electoral roll at the address where you live.
• Ratepayer Roll - If you are on the parliamentary roll in one area and pay rates on a property in another area, you may be eligible to be enrolled on the non-resident ratepayer electors' roll.

Voting packs include:

• Voting papers
• Information about how to complete and return your voting papers
• Candidate Profile Booklet containing photographs and information supplied by the candidates about themselves, their policies and intentions if elected.
• Return Freepost Envelope

One voting system is used for the 2022 local elections in the Timaru District.

First Past the Post (FPP)

The First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system is used for Council and Licensing Trust elections.

Using the FPP system, electors vote by indicating their preferred candidate(s) by ticking a box. The candidate(s) that receives the most votes is declared the winner, regardless of the proportion of votes that candidate(s) received. The FPP electoral system is used for Timaru District Council, Environment Canterbury and the Geraldine Licensing Trust.

To enrol or make any changes to the resident roll (address details etc.) you can either:

• visit the Electoral Commission website and enrol/update your details online; or
• call 0800 ENROLNOW (0800 36 76 56); or
• Freetext 3676

You will need to request a special voting document from the Electoral Officer if you have not enrolled by 12 August 2022.

For electors away from Timaru District during the voting period (16 September – 8 October 2022) voting papers will be mailed out to electors at their normal residential or postal addresses between 16 – 21 September (where you are on the residential or ratepayer electoral roll). If you are returning prior to the close of voting, complete your papers and return by no later than 12 noon, Saturday 8 October.

If an elector is leaving Timaru District before 16 September, and not returning until after 8 October, then they can contact the Electoral Officer on (03) 687 7200 to arrange for special voting papers to be sent to a temporary address where they will be staying.

When received at the temporary address, the voting papers should be completed and returned immediately in the return envelope provided. If the voting papers are being sent from overseas, the required local postage stamps must be affixed to cover the return airmail postage to New Zealand.

Special votes cannot be issued until Friday 16 September 2022.

Special votes are available from 16 September 2022 for electors:

• whose names do not appear on the final Electoral Roll, but who qualify as electors
• who did not receive a voting document previously posted to them
• who spoil or damage a voting document previously posted to them
• whose names appear on the Unpublished Roll

Special votes require the completion of a statutory declaration. This is a legal requirement and protects against possible duplicate voting.

Contact the Electoral Officer on (03) 6877200 or visit the Timaru District Council Main office in Timaru or Service Centres in Temuka or Geraldine to make a Special Vote. You can also email elections@timdc.govt.nz to request a special vote.

If an elector requests a special vote and is not on the Parliamentary Roll (e.g. they turn 18 years of age after the Electoral Roll closes), the person must enrol by close of business on Friday 7 October 2022.

The different authorities electing members can make a decision under local electoral legislation about whether names will be listed on the voting document in alphabetical, pseudo-random or random order.

For the 2022 elections, the Timaru District Council and Geraldine Licensing Trust have decided on random order, which means candidates' surnames will be shown in a different order on every voting document.

Voting Papers are processed under contract by a company in Christchurch.