Voters Urged To Check Spam Folders As Enrolment Deadline Nears

Russell
Palmer Political reporter

With
less than a week before enrolment closes, the Electoral
Commission says delivery of EasyVote cards is going well –
despite some redirection to spam folders.

Enrolment
in this election closes at midnight this Sunday, with voting
starting the next day – a public holiday.

RNZ has
seen multiple examples of the Electoral Commission’s
EasyVote cards being automatically filtered into Gmail’s
“promotions” tab, or to the spam folder on other email
services.

Chief electoral officer Karl le Quesne said
the commission had worked with email service providers to
maximise the delivery of the emails with the digital cards
arriving between 14 and 23 October, and “delivery is going
well”.

“If you’ve given us your email address, we will
send your EasyVote card by email. It’s worth checking that
your EasyVote email hasn’t gone to your spam folder,” he
said.

“We’ve had a few reports of emails going to junk
or spam folders, but it’s not widespread. We’re achieving a
high level of email delivery and seeing a good level of
early open rates.

“If the email isn’t delivered or
hasn’t been opened within 48 hours, and we have the person’s
mobile number, we’ll send a text letting them know we sent
their EasyVote by email.”

EasyVote cards are not
required for people to cast their vote but they include
relevant details and make the process faster and easier for
themselves and electoral officers alike.

Le Quesne
said those who were sure they had enrolled but whose
EasyVote card had not arrived should simply head to a voting
place without it – but urged people to check their enrolment
before Sunday.

“If you haven’t enrolled yet, there’s
still time. Make sure you’re enrolled and your details are
up to date by midnight, Sunday 25 October so your vote
counts,” he said.

This election is the first time the
commission has opted to deliver the cards via email – an
administratively simpler and cheaper approach – as well as
providing physical cards through the postal
system.

The digital cards began being sent out last
Wednesday to anyone who had provided an email address prior
to 4 October – about 2.2 million people. Digital cards can
be shown at voting places on a smartphone, in a screenshot,
or as a printout.

Le Quesne said the emails were
designed to comply with all ESP – Email Service Provider, or
Inbox Provider – rules around configuration and security,
but it would be up to recipients to actively control and
influence what was going into their spam or junk folders
through email client settings and actions.

“Our
EasyVote advertising lets people know the cards are on their
way by email or post and asks people to check their inbox or
mailbox.

“We haven’t included messages on spam folders
in the advertising, but there is more information available
on our
website, including advice to check your spam or junk
folder if you haven’t received your EasyVote
card.”

The commission also sent out a further
estimated 1.3 million physical cards in the mail to those
who had only provided a postal address or were on the
unpublished roll.

Le Quesne said eligible voters could
enrol or update details online at Vote.nz,
using a New Zealand driver licence, passport or RealMe
verified identity, or phone 0800 36 76 56 for
help.

The fastest way to get paper enrolment forms
back to the commission was to scan or photograph the form
and email to enrol@vote.nz or upload at vote.nz/upload.

Voting
place locations are also shown at Vote.nz,
which also details what
to do for those who are overseas or unable to get to a
voting place for other
reasons.

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