# How Your Votes Are Counted in New Zealand Elections

> New Zealand's election vote counting process: hand-counted, special votes take weeks, and results take until Friday.
- Title: How Your Votes Are Counted in New Zealand Elections · RNZ
- Summary: New Zealand's election vote counting process: hand-counted, special votes take weeks, and results take until Friday.
- Keywords: new zealand election, electoral commission, special votes, voting papers, scrutineers, recount, election results, electorate, RNZ
- Source: RNZ — https://rnz.co.nz/news/politics/2310557/explainer-how-your-votes-are-counted-on-election-day
- Author: RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
- Published: 2026-11-02T21:04:27+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: new zealand election, electoral commission, special votes, voting papers, scrutineers, recount, election results, electorate, politics, news
## Election Day Counting Process
All votes are counted by hand, with preliminary results released by 7pm on election day.
## Preliminary Results Timeline
50 percent of results available by 10pm and 95 percent by 11:30pm on election day.
## Special Votes Process
Special votes require extra checks and take up to 20 days to confirm results after election day.
## Voting Paper Storage
Voting papers are stored securely for six months after election, then shredded and destroyed.
## Scrutineer Rules
Candidates can appoint scrutineers to observe vote counting but not themselves or MPs.
## Recount Process
Recounts require a $1022.22 deposit and must be applied for within three working days of results.
## Election Errors in 2023
Over 20 voting places made errors in final results, but no major changes occurred.
## Double-Voting Checks
The commission checks for double-voting by comparing every electorate roll.
## Election Management System
New Zealand's Election Management System undergoes independent security testing.
## Final Results Declaration
The Chief Electoral Officer declares the official election results after counting.
## Key takeaway

New Zealand counts votes by hand with special votes taking up to 20 days to confirm results after election day.