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What time do polls close in NZ? Election day 2026 voting hours

Voting places close at 7pm on Saturday 7 November 2026. Here are the exact voting hours, the queue rule, overseas deadlines in other time zones, and when results start.

By NZ ElectionUpdated 3 min read

What time do polls close?: What time do polls close in NZ? Election day 2026 voting hours
In this guide
  1. Election day voting hours
  2. The 7pm queue rule
  3. What time is 7pm NZ in other countries?
  4. What you need to vote
  5. Rules until polls close
  6. After polls close
  7. Questions and answers
  8. Sources

Polls close at 7pm on Saturday 7 November 2026. Voting places open at 9am, so you have ten hours on election day to vote, at any voting place in New Zealand.

Quick answer

  • Voting places open: 9am, Saturday 7 November 2026.
  • Polls close: 7pm sharp, New Zealand Daylight Time.
  • In the queue at 7pm? You can still vote.
  • Advance voting: ended on Friday 6 November.
  • First results: expected around 7:30pm. Follow them on our live results page.

Election day voting hours

Time
Voting places open9am Saturday 7 November
Voting places close7pm Saturday 7 November
Overseas uploads close7pm NZ time, 7 November
First results expectedAbout 7:30pm
Half of voting places counted (target)10pm
95% of voting places counted (target)11:30pm

Find your nearest voting place, with accessibility details, at vote.nz.

The 7pm queue rule

If you're already in the queue when voting closes at 7pm, you'll still be able to vote. Staff mark the end of the line at 7pm. Anyone who arrives after that can't vote.

Tip: don't leave it to 6:50pm. The busiest times on election day are usually late morning and late afternoon, and some voting places get long queues near closing.

What time is 7pm NZ in other countries?

7pm New Zealand Daylight Time on 7 November is 6am UTC.

PlaceLocal time when NZ polls close
Sydney, Melbourne5pm Saturday
Brisbane4pm Saturday
Perth, Singapore2pm Saturday
London6am Saturday
New York1am Saturday
Los Angeles10pm Friday

If you're voting from overseas, your papers must be uploaded by then. See voting from overseas.

What you need to vote

  1. Go to any voting place between 9am and 7pm.
  2. Give your name and address, or hand over your EasyVote card if you have one. You don't need ID.
  3. Tick one party and one candidate, fold the paper and put it in the box.

Our step-by-step guide covers what to do if you've moved or aren't on the roll. Enrolment closed on 25 October, and there's no election day enrolment this year.

Rules until polls close

Until 7pm, no campaigning is allowed anywhere, including social media posts about parties or candidates. You can say you've voted and encourage others to vote. See election day rules.

After polls close

At 7pm, staff start counting by hand. Advance votes are usually published first, from about 7:30pm.

Election night, hour by hour

  1. 7:00pmVoting closes. Counting starts in every voting place.
  2. 7:30pmFirst results expected, starting with advance votes.
  3. 10:00pmTarget: results from 50% of voting places.
  4. 11:30pmTarget: results from 95% of voting places.
  5. LatePreliminary count finished. Special votes still to come.
  6. 27 NovOfficial result, including about 700,000 special votes.
  7. 3 DecWrit returned. Winners formally confirmed.
Times are Electoral Commission targets for 2026, in New Zealand Daylight Time. Source: Electoral Commission.

Read what time results come out for the full night, or how to follow election night for TV, radio and streams.

Questions and answers

What time do polls close in NZ on election day?

7pm on Saturday 7 November 2026. Voting places open at 9am.

Can I vote if I'm in the queue at 7pm?

Yes. Anyone in the queue when voting closes at 7pm can still vote.

Can I still advance vote on election day?

No. Advance voting ended on Friday 6 November. On election day you vote at any voting place, from 9am to 7pm.

What time do results start?

The first results, mostly advance votes, are expected around 7:30pm.

What time do NZ polls close in Australia?

5pm Saturday in Sydney and Melbourne, 4pm in Brisbane and 2pm in Perth.

Sources

This guide is general information about New Zealand elections, checked against the sources linked above on 4 November 2026. For anything about your own enrolment or vote, check vote.nz or call the Electoral Commission on 0800 36 76 56.

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