New Zealand poll body asks voters to enroll

Wellington, Sep 4 (IANS) The New Zealand Electoral Commission on Monday called on eligible voters to enroll as soon as possible in order to cast a ballot for the 2023 general election on October 14.

Currently, 89 per cent of eligible voters are enrolled, said Anusha Guler, the Electoral Commission's deputy chief executive operations, calling on those yet to enroll to act now, reports Xinhua news agency.

New Zealand uses the Mixed Member Proportional voting system to elect its parliament.

Under this system, the government is usually formed by two or more parliamentary political parties.

New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of 18 years or older, who have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more at some time in their life, are eligible to vote in the election.

The upcoming elections will determine the composition of the 54th Parliament of New Zealand. 

Voters will elect 120 members to the unicameral New Zealand House of Representatives under the mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system, a proportional representation system in which 72 members will be elected from single-member electorates and 48 members from closed party lists.

At the 2020 election, the centre-left Labour Party, led by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, won an outright majority in the House, the first time under MMP that a party has been able to form a government without needing the support of another.