An Auckland local body subdivision is preparing to hold a new election after a court found voter fraud had materially affected the outcome of last year's vote.
However, a voting option that was previously available will not be offered in the upcoming vote, with Auckland Council removing "vote on the go" events from the process.
In a judgment handed down in December last year, Manukau District Court Judge Richard McIlraith found irregularities in some 2025 Papatoetoe subdivision ballot papers, declaring the election of local board members for the Ōtara Papatoetoe Local Board void.
The ruling followed findings that voter fraud had compromised the integrity of the result.
In October, police confirmed they were making enquiries after receiving complaints about electoral fraud in the area.
RNZ has approached police for an update on the investigation.
However, the winning candidates from last year's local body election have filed a petition seeking a judicial review of the District Court decision.
Following the District Court ruling, Auckland Council confirmed the new election for the Papatoetoe subdivision of the Ōtara Papatoetoe Local Board would be held on Thursday, 9 April.
The election will be conducted by postal vote using the "first past the post" (FPP) electoral system.
Nominations opened on 31 December and close at midday on 28 January.
Election signs can go up from Thursday, 5 February, with voting opening on 9 March.
All election signs must be removed by midnight on 8 April.
Preliminary results will be announced on 9 April, with final results expected by 10 April.
"The new Papatoetoe election must be carried out in the same way as the 2025 election per the Local Electoral Act 2001," said Oliver Roberts, head of governance programmes and policies at Auckland Council.
"This means postal voting," he said. "[This] method cannot be changed for the new election," he said.
Roberts said checks and balances would be in place to process votes, with each elector issued a unique number on their voting document that would be used for roll scrutiny when the vote was returned.
"This helps to mark each elector off the roll and ensures each elector has voted only once," he said.
Roberts said lists of those who had voted would later be made available to candidates so they could track who had and who had not voted, a process that identified the Papatoetoe irregularities in the 2025 election.
Auckland Council said no "vote on the go" events would be held during the election campaign - a reversal of what was permitted last year.
However, special voting would be available at Papatoetoe and Manukau libraries, as well as at the Electoral Office.
"As we said at the time, no system is bulletproof," Roberts said. "However, elections have delivered robust results for many years."
Roberts said it was important for people to look out for their voting papers in mailboxes and encourage friends and family to do the same.
"If someone has not received their voting pack by 21 March, they can call Election Services, who can confirm whether they should have received it, and they can do a special vote at either Papatoetoe or Manukau Library," he said.
Roberts said the council would run a campaign ahead of and during the voting period to promote the election and remind voters to look out for their voting packs, which will be sent from 9 March and are expected to arrive by 21 March.
He said all relevant information would also be available closer to the election on the Vote Auckland website.
"We also encourage people to vote as soon as they receive their papers, rather than put them aside for action later," Roberts said.
"Election Services is in contact with NZ Post for the delivery of voting packs from 9 March, and any suspicious activity will be reported to the police."
-By RNZ