17.1.9 Duties of electoral officer and officials

 

1. The electoral officer has the powers and duty to [1]:

   • conduct elections or polls within the Auckland local government area

   • compile and certify the electoral rolls

   • publish any public notice relating to elections and polls and the calling of nominations

   • receive nominations, candidate profile statements, and required deposits

   • issue and receive ordinary and special votes and other official documents

   • process and count votes

   • declare the results

   • receive returns of electoral donations and expenses

   • investigate possible offences and report alleged offences to the police.

2. The electoral officer is required to appoint a deputy electoral officer to perform these duties if he/she becomes incapable of doing so. The deputy electoral officer has the full powers of an electoral officer and must continue to act until the electoral officer regains capability or a new electoral officer is appointed [2]. 

3. Electoral officials must make declarations before they can fulfill their duties under the Local Electoral Act [3]. Declarations remain current until 31 January of the year of the next election [4]. 

4. To prevent any political intervention in the elections process, the exercise of powers under the act is legally protected from any direction by the Governing Body or local boards [5]. The electoral officer, deputy electoral officer, and other electoral officials perform their functions and duties independently of the council. Candidates for election cannot be appointed or act as electoral officials [6].

5. The chief executive should not act as an electoral official unless there are no other reasonably practicable options available [7].

 

 

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