200,000 voters still to enrol

THE DOMINION POST: Just under three million New Zealanders have enrolled to vote in the upcoming general election.

By the time the electoral rolls closed on Writ Day, October 8, a total of 2,935,537 people had enrolled - up 123,504 (4 per cent) from the 2005 election, Electoral Enrolment Centre national manager Murray Wicks said.

But despite the overall increase, the percentage of eligible voters enrolled actually declined slightly - from 94 per cent to 93.6 per cent, Mr Wicks said.

This year 224,305 people have enrolled to vote in the seven Maori electorates - 19,786 more than the 204,519 people on the Maori rolls in 2005.

There were also 171,475 Maori voters enrolled on the general roll in 2008, compared to 166,822 in 2005.

All up, the number of registered Maori voters was up 24,439 from the last election.

Mr Wicks said there were still approximately 200,000 people who had not enrolled, with almost 89,000 of those aged between 18 and 24 years old.

"By not enrolling or taking part they're putting decisions about their and New Zealand's future into the hands of others," he said.