Summarised by Centrist
Labour MP Willie Jackson has drawn criticism for his fiery claims that the government is “rigging” next year’s election by restricting voter enrolment periods.
Jackson’s accusations, made during Parliament’s recent debate, were dismissed by government officials as “insane” and “hyperbole” lacking a factual basis.
Jackson criticised the government’s move to ban enrolments for 12 days before voting day, branding it “racist disenfranchisement” and accusing ministers of “vandalising democratic participation.”
He also launched a personal attack on Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, calling him the “biggest dropkick of all” after Seymour labelled late enrollers as “dropkicks.”
However, Seymour shrugged off Jackson’s insults, calling him “a figure of fun” and rejecting the claims as “wrong and insane.” Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith’s spokesperson labelled Jackson’s rhetoric as “hyperbole and mangling of the facts,” emphasising that the changes simply require voters to enrol ahead of time, a straightforward legal obligation.
The government argues the reform is necessary to speed up vote counting, which a surge in special votes has increasingly delayed. Goldsmith noted that last election’s final count took three weeks, up from two previously, and warned the delay could worsen without reform.
The move has also faced criticism from electoral experts and the Chief Human Rights Commissioner, but ministers stress the importance of ensuring efficient, transparent elections.
Under the previous Labour government, voters were able to enrol during advance voting and on election day itself, with those votes counted as special votes. The government’s proposed legislation passed its first reading and now faces further scrutiny in select committee.
Editor’s note: As we reported in 2023, the voting system introduced under the previous government prioritised accessibility over security. Read our report here for further concerns about the lack of ID in New Zealand’s electoral process, given the rise in special votes and same-day enrolment.
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