Local council and district health board elections will be held in the spring, but Southern Lakes residents need to check their enrolment now to make sure they have their say in October.
The number of people aged 18 to 34 who are eligible to vote and are enrolled lags far behind all other age groups in the Queenstown Lakes district.
The Electoral Commission estimates as of June 30 there are 2200 eligible people aged 18 to 24, but only 64% are enrolled.
There are 2180 eligible people aged 25 to 29 and 58% are enrolled.
There are 3060 eligible people aged 30 to 34 and 61% are enrolled. The younger age groups contrast sharply with all higher age groups which enjoy much higher enrolment figures.
The commission is ensuring people have their enrolment details up-to-date, specifically full name, residential and postal addresses, date of birth, occupation and whether the individual is a New Zealand Maori, or a descendant of a New Zealand Maori.
The commission is also encouraging those people who have not enrolled at all to enrol for the elections by August 16, so the commission can give the data to the Queenstown Lakes District Council and it can prepare the voting papers to go out.
New Zealand residents and New Zealand citizens aged 18 and over, who have lived in the country for one year and who have enrolled, are eligible to vote.
People in New Zealand on visitor's permit, a working permit, or a study permit are not residents or citizens and cannot enrol or vote.
''In New Zealand, when you enrol it is a common enrolment process - that is, that you enrol for parliamentary and local council and district health board elections,'' Electoral Commission enrolment services national manager Murray Wicks, of Wellington, said.
''This year it's the local council elections and it's important to participate and vote, because councils make decisions that affect you every day, such as your rubbish collection, your sewerage, your water, your roading, parking and health services within your community, so it's important to get engaged and vote for the candidates who you think will make a difference for what you want in your area.''
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden said it was ''vitally important'' people voted to have a say in who governed their district.
''The election in October, then central Government elections next year, are the chances members of our community have to say, yes, this is the way we want our community run and this person represents the things that I think are important,'' Ms van Uden said.
''If you're not enrolled to vote, you can't vote and if you don't vote, you're not actually accepting your responsibilities.''
Enrolment update packs were posted to the 3.1 million New Zealanders on the electoral roll in early July.
If you receive a pack not for you, please return it to the Electoral Commission. If you have not received a pack, you are not enrolled and need to complete an enrolment form.
NEED TO KNOW
• Enrol or update details online at www.elections.org.nz. Enrolment forms are available by freetexting your name and address to 3676, calling 0800 36 76 56, or visiting any PostShop.
• Voting in the local elections is by postal vote from September 20 to October 12. Everyone correctly enrolled by August 16 will be sent their voting papers by their local council electoral officer.
• Those enrolling after August 16 will need to cast a special vote and contact the electoral officer for their local council to obtain voting papers.
• Incumbent Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden and district councillors Jude Battson, Lyal Cocks, John Mann, Lex Perkins, Simon Stamers-Smith and Trevor Tattersfield are standing for election again. Crs Mel Gazzard, Cath Gilmour, Russell Mawhinney and Leigh Overton are undecided.
• Nominations open on Friday and close on August 16. Nominations must be supported by two nominees who live in the same ward. Nomination forms and candidate packs will be available from council offices or on the council website from today.
• Candidates are sought for the Queenstown Lakes District Council and Wanaka Community Board.
