Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has insisted Electoral Commission to speed up the official vote count following elections, despite the Commission warning that proposed changes in the government’s Electoral Amendment Bill would not deliver results any faster.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Luxon said he expected officials to “move heaven and earth” to ensure faster results.
“We’re living in 2025, I just suggest that the vote can be counted a hell of a lot faster than what we’ve experienced in New Zealand,” he said. “Go look at other Western economies around the world and how fast they count their vote. We must be the slowest folk on the planet,” Lillian Hanly of RNZ reported.
According to a report by RNZ, the Commission told the Justice Committee on Thursday that the proposed changes would not shorten the process, with Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne estimating the official results would still take up to 20 days to confirm. He explained that around 700,000 special votes would still require thorough integrity checks, meaning no quicker outcome.
Labour’s Duncan Webb accused the government of “intentionally tilting the political playing field,” warning that the changes could disadvantage more than 200,000 voters who rely on enrolling during early voting or on election day.
“Luxon should reverse these changes immediately and improve people’s access to democracy,” Webb said, as reported by Lillian Hanly of RNZ.
Le Quesne noted the Commission had not recommended the changes, and said resourcing was the key factor in processing enrolments faster. Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith added that funding decisions would be made through the budget process.
The Justice Committee is currently considering the bill, with most submissions received so far opposing the reforms.