Schools across New Zealand have just over a week left to register for Kids Voting, the Electoral Commission's free civics programme that lets students experience a real election, before registrations close on Friday 25 September.

So far, more than 600 schools have already signed up, giving over 114,000 students the chance to take part in a mock election alongside this year's actual General Election.

How the Programme Actually Works

Kids Voting, known in te reo Māori as Te Pōti a Ngā Tamariki, is open to all schools and kura, and there's no cost involved for those wanting to participate.

What makes it genuinely authentic rather than a purely hypothetical exercise is that students vote for the real political parties and candidates standing in the 2026 General Election, rather than a simplified or fictional version of the ballot.

Here's how the timeline lines up:

Milestone

Date

School registrations close

Friday 25 September (last day of Term 3), 5pm

Mock elections take place

Early Term 4

Why the Commission Is Pushing This Now

Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne said the programme offers genuine educational value precisely because it runs in parallel with the real election.

"Kids Voting is a great way for students to experience democracy first-hand and understand how voting works at the same time as the real general election," Le Quesne said.

With registrations closing soon, he was direct about the urgency for schools still weighing whether to take part.

"With hundreds of schools already set to get involved, we want to make sure schools that are still considering taking part don't miss their opportunity."

Not Just for Schools

Beyond the classroom programme itself, the Electoral Commission is also encouraging parents, whānau, teachers and youth organisations to have direct conversations with young people about voting, helping ensure they understand the process and feel prepared to participate when the time comes.

What This Means for Older Teens Specifically

While Kids Voting itself is open to students of any age as an educational exercise, there's an important distinction worth understanding for older teenagers approaching real voting eligibility.

Young people aged 18 or older can enrol and vote in the actual General Election. Notably, 17-year-olds can also complete an enrolment form now, and will be automatically enrolled the moment they turn 18, removing one potential barrier to first-time voting.

How to Get Involved

For individuals wanting to check or update their own enrolment details, options include:

  • Online at vote.nz
  • By calling 0800 36 76 56 to request an enrolment form

For schools and kura still considering taking part in Kids Voting, registration is available online through the Elections NZ website, with the window closing at 5pm on Friday 25 September.

Why This Programme Matters

For a country where voter turnout, particularly among younger age groups, has been a persistent topic of discussion, programmes like Kids Voting offer a practical way to build familiarity with the democratic process well before students are old enough to cast a real vote. With more than 114,000 students already set to take part this year, the initiative gives a substantial slice of New Zealand's next generation of voters a genuine, hands-on introduction to how their country's elections actually work.


This article is based on a media release issued by the Electoral Commission (Te Kaitiaki Take Kōwhiri).