The New Zealand general election

A DigitalNZ Story by DigitalNZ

A collection of photos of election day in New Zealand, 1887 to 2020.

election day, general election, democracy, voting

1887

Image: Election day in Masterton, 1887

Election day in Masterton, 1887

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

1893

Image: Women go to the polls, 1893

Women go to the polls, 1893

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

1899

Image: Election-day campaigning, 1899

Election-day campaigning, 1899

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Election Day in Auckland: scene at the Drill Shed

1899

Election Day in Auckland: scene at the Drill Shed

Auckland Libraries

Image: Election day, 1899

Election day, 1899

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

1902

Image: Outside the polling booth, Kaiapoi : people awaiting the results of the Southern Maori Electorate, 1902 Maori election.

Outside the polling booth, Kaiapoi : people awaiting the results of the Southern Maori Electorate, 1902 Maori election.

Christchurch City Libraries

1905

Image: Crowd in front of the main polling booth in Wellington on Election Day

1905

Crowd in front of the main polling booth in Wellington on Election Day

Auckland Libraries

Image: Pahiatua Herald general election results board

1905

Pahiatua Herald general election results board

Alexander Turnbull Library

1908

Image: Māori voters at Rotorua, about 1908

Māori voters at Rotorua, about 1908

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

1911

Image: A few of the enormous crowds that surged round the Auckland 'Star' office on election night, waiting to hear the verdict of the electors

1911

A few of the enormous crowds that surged round the Auckland 'Star' office on election night, waiting to hear the verdict of the electors

Auckland Libraries

Image: Election Night In Christchurch

1911

Election Night In Christchurch

Auckland Libraries

Image: A few of the enormous crowd for which the Wellington 'Times' catered

1911

A few of the enormous crowd for which the Wellington 'Times' catered

Auckland Libraries

1914

Image: Election night in Wellington

1914

Election night in Wellington

Auckland Libraries

1919

Image: A portion of the crowd awaiting the result of the 1919 election, the results being displayed by lantern on a board in Christchurch

A portion of the crowd awaiting the result of the 1919 election, the results being displayed by lantern on a board in Christchurch

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: The results of the general election of 1919, posted outside the Press Co. Building, Cathedral Square, Christchurch

The results of the general election of 1919, posted outside the Press Co. Building, Cathedral Square, Christchurch

Christchurch City Libraries

1922

Image: The great public interest in last week's general election

1922

The great public interest in last week's general election

Auckland Libraries

1925

Image: Parliamentary general election results on display outside the Christchurch Press building, Cathedral Square, Christchurch

1925

Parliamentary general election results on display outside the Christchurch Press building, Cathedral Square, Christchurch

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Unknown photographer :The Dominion election board

1925

Unknown photographer :The Dominion election board

Alexander Turnbull Library

1928

Image: Great Crowds Assemble To Learn The Results of the General Election In Christchurch City, Canterbury

1928

Great Crowds Assemble To Learn The Results of the General Election In Christchurch City, Canterbury

Auckland Libraries

Image: Election Night In Auckland: Huge Crowds Watch The Results Screened From The Weekly News Offices

1928

Election Night In Auckland: Huge Crowds Watch The Results Screened From The Weekly News Offices

Auckland Libraries

Image: The Evening Post Building Wellington showing 1928 election returns

The Evening Post Building Wellington showing 1928 election returns

Alexander Turnbull Library

1931

Image: 1931 general election results, Evening Post building, Wellington

1931 general election results, Evening Post building, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: 1931 general election results, Christchurch Press building

1931 general election results, Christchurch Press building

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Crowd checking 1931 general election results, Christchurch

Crowd checking 1931 general election results, Christchurch

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Wellington crowds on election night, 1931

Wellington crowds on election night, 1931

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Crowd in Willis Street, Wellington, awaiting the results of the 1931 general election

Crowd in Willis Street, Wellington, awaiting the results of the 1931 general election

Alexander Turnbull Library

1935

Image: Crowd looking at the 1935 general election results, Evening Post building, Wellington

Crowd looking at the 1935 general election results, Evening Post building, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: General election results, The Square

1935

General election results, The Square

Palmerston North City Library

Image: Scene inside a polling booth during the 1935 general election

Scene inside a polling booth during the 1935 general election

Alexander Turnbull Library

1938

Image: Waiting for General Election results, The Square

1938

Waiting for General Election results, The Square

Palmerston North City Library

1943

Image: Polling booth interior in the Pacific for World War II soldiers voting in the 1943 New Zealand general elections

Polling booth interior in the Pacific for World War II soldiers voting in the 1943 New Zealand general elections

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Men of the New Zealand Third Division voting in the recent General Election on the way from Guadalcanal to Vella Lavella. The two principal polling officers are Major G. B. Gibbons (Wellington) and Major H. F. Allan (Nelson). (Evening Post, 15 October 1943)

1943

Men of the New Zealand Third Division voting in the recent General Election on the way from Guadalcanal to Vella Lavella. The two principal polling...

National Library of New Zealand

1946

Image: Evening Post election result returns 1946

Evening Post election result returns 1946

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Election night, Ōtāhuhu, 1946.

Election night, Ōtāhuhu, 1946.

Auckland Libraries

1957

Image: Posting Election Results

1957

Posting Election Results

Antarctica New Zealand

Image: Walter Nash at the 1957 General Election

Walter Nash at the 1957 General Election

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: 1957 General Election results board, Wellington

1957 General Election results board, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

1960

Image: '95-year-old on her way to vote in the general election, 1960

'95-year-old on her way to vote in the general election, 1960

Tauranga City Libraries

Image: Voting from hospital bed, 1960

Voting from hospital bed, 1960

Tauranga City Libraries

Image: Electors queuing to vote, 1960

Electors queuing to vote, 1960

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

1963

Image: Voting for Parliament. Merivale School

1963

Voting for Parliament. Merivale School

Tauranga City Libraries

Image: Voting for Parliament. Te Puke

1963

Voting for Parliament. Te Puke

Tauranga City Libraries

Image: Voting for Parliament. Te Puke, Mrs S.M. Tyler

1963

Voting for Parliament. Te Puke, Mrs S.M. Tyler

Tauranga City Libraries

1966

Image: Voting in the General Election November 1966

Voting in the General Election November 1966

Antarctica New Zealand

Image: Mr M. Kidson (National) voting in the general election

1966

Mr M. Kidson (National) voting in the general election

MTG Hawke's Bay

Image: Roy Hollands (Social Credit) voting in the general election

1966

Roy Hollands (Social Credit) voting in the general election

MTG Hawke's Bay

Image: Voting in the General Election November 1966

Voting in the General Election November 1966

Antarctica New Zealand

1969

Image: Hector Tipene in Vietnam, 1969

Hector Tipene in Vietnam, 1969

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Sue Gilliand at the ballot box, Tauranga Boys' College

1969

Sue Gilliand at the ballot box, Tauranga Boys' College

Tauranga City Libraries

Image: Polling station for general election

1969

Polling station for general election

Christchurch City Libraries

1972

Image: General Election polling booth at the Children's Dental Clinic, Willis Street, Wellington

1972

General Election polling booth at the Children's Dental Clinic, Willis Street, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

1975

Image: Voting in the 1975 General Election

Voting in the 1975 General Election

Antarctica New Zealand

Image: 1975 General Election

1975 General Election

Antarctica New Zealand

Image: Counting of General Election special votes in a garage, Newlands, Wellington

1975

Counting of General Election special votes in a garage, Newlands, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

1978

Image: Vote Counting, General Election Night 1978

Vote Counting, General Election Night 1978

Palmerston North City Library

Image: The Ngaio Town Hall

1978

The Ngaio Town Hall

Wellington City Libraries

Image: Johnsonville Shopping Mall

1978

Johnsonville Shopping Mall

Wellington City Libraries

1981

Image: Compilation of electoral rolls for the General Election

1981

Compilation of electoral rolls for the General Election

Alexander Turnbull Library

1984

Image: David Lange on election night, 1984 General Election

David Lange on election night, 1984 General Election

Alexander Turnbull Library

1987

Image: Prime Minister Jim Bolger and John Allen, National candidate for Heretaunga, at election campaign launch.

1987

Prime Minister Jim Bolger and John Allen, National candidate for Heretaunga, at election campaign launch.

Upper Hutt City Library

Image: David Lange, Election night, Mangere

1987

David Lange, Election night, Mangere

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: MPs Fran Wilde and Liz Tennet on election night.

1987

MPs Fran Wilde and Liz Tennet on election night.

Alexander Turnbull Library

1990

Image: Polling place, Otara, 1990.

Polling place, Otara, 1990.

Auckland Libraries

1993

Image: Hawke's Bay electorate returning officer John Forde, with the equipment prepared for 1993 general election.

Hawke's Bay electorate returning officer John Forde, with the equipment prepared for 1993 general election.

MTG Hawke's Bay

Image: Ballot Box

1993

Ballot Box

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Dick Wright and Tom Potts Electoral Roll Check, Hawke's Bay

1993

Dick Wright and Tom Potts Electoral Roll Check, Hawke's Bay

MTG Hawke's Bay

1996

Image: Polling booth, 1996

Polling booth, 1996

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

1999

Image: Election Night, Ponsonby Road, 1999

Election Night, Ponsonby Road, 1999

Auckland Libraries

2005

Image: Setting up a polling place, 2005

Setting up a polling place, 2005

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

2008

Image: Voting in the 2008 general election

Voting in the 2008 general election

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

2011

Image: Peter Dunne voting in the 2011 referendum

Peter Dunne voting in the 2011 referendum

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

2014

Image: Voting at Linwood Library at Eastgate

2014

Voting at Linwood Library at Eastgate

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: Voting at Linwood Library at Eastgate

2014

Voting at Linwood Library at Eastgate

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: Voting at Linwood Library at Eastgate

2014

Voting at Linwood Library at Eastgate

Christchurch City Libraries

2017

Image: Voting sign - South Library

2017

Voting sign - South Library

Christchurch City Libraries

2020

Image: Voting display, Linwood Library

2020

Voting display, Linwood Library

Christchurch City Libraries