Auckland Council has voted to bring back in-person voting for the 2028 local elections, despite current estimates putting the cost at up to $40 million — more than twice the estimated cost of continuing with postal voting.
The decision will see Auckland become the first council in New Zealand to return to staffed voting booths since 1992.
Under the new model, Aucklanders will be able to vote at staffed booths during an advance voting period and on election day, similar to the system used for parliamentary elections.
Auckland Council says the change follows a review of voting methods which considered postal voting, booth voting and a combination of the two.
Council General Manager Governance and Engagement Lou-Ann Ballantyne said engagement with local boards, community organisations and Aucklanders had identified trust, visibility and convenience as key considerations.
“We heard consistently from local boards, community partners and many Aucklanders that trust, visibility and convenience are the key considerations when it comes to local elections.”
“Booth voting was identified as the strongest option for supporting electoral integrity and public confidence, and the Governing Body has today endorsed these findings.”
But the change comes with a substantial increase in the projected cost of running the election.
Council estimates a 10-day booth voting election would cost between $31 million and $40 million, compared with about $16 million for a postal election.
Councillors amended the original recommendation to direct council staff to investigate ways of reducing the estimated cost to $20 million.
The $20 million figure is not the current estimated cost of the election. Staff will report back in December on options for reducing the cost, with the final funding requirement to be considered through Auckland Council’s Long-term Plan 2027-2037 process.
The push to find savings comes as Mayor Wayne Brown’s administration continues to pursue a broader programme of cost cutting across council.
Auckland Council has set a $106 million savings target for 2026/27, with Brown saying the council needs to be disciplined with money and deliver “better, faster and cheaper” to minimise the impact on ratepayers.
The council has also reported achieving $97.2 million in savings during 2025/26, although $47.3 million of that total was made up of one-off savings rather than ongoing reductions.
The voting decision means the council will now begin detailed planning for the 2028 election, including determining the locations of voting places and the technological requirements for the system.
Ms Ballantyne said the council would focus on delivering a voting experience that was accessible, convenient and secure.
Auckland Council will also continue advocating for longer-term electoral reform, including greater involvement from the Electoral Commission and potential future online voting if legislation allows.
