Six thousand more voters enrolled in Northland

Northlanders are rearing to vote this election: an extra 6000 have enrolled, and there's still time. Photo/File

Interest in the general election is high in Northland, with 6000 more people enrolled to vote than three years ago.

Two weeks tomorrow - September 23 - is when the majority of Kiwis will be casting their votes to choose our next government.

More than 119,000 Northlanders are enrolled this year and have the chance to select who represents their whanau, neighbours and region in Parliament.

This is 6000 more than were enrolled three years ago, with numbers in Whangarei, Northland and Te Tai Tokerau all exceeding 2014's total enrolments, according to the Electoral Commission.

Around 48,100 voters are enrolled in Northland, 49,800 in Whangarei, and 21,000 people in Te Tai Tokerau on the Maori roll.

Young voters are traditionally under-enrolled for elections. Since July, when 65 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds were enrolled, around 400 more have signed up, taking the rate to 68.1 per cent region wide.

But around 14,000 people throughout the region still have not enrolled so far - and it's simple to do.

"If you're still not enrolled, don't panic. You can enrol to vote right up until Friday, September 22, the day before election day, but you can't enrol on election day itself," Whangarei Registrar of Electors Melody Hicks said.

"To get enrolled or update your details, you'll need to fill in an enrolment form.

"Go to the elections website www.elections.org.nz or pick up a form from a PostShop. Advance voting starts on Monday, September 11 and you'll be able to enrol and vote at any advance voting place.

"We want to make sure that every vote counts! Don't miss out on having your say this election - make sure you sort out your enrolment before election day."

More than 91 per cent of eligible Whangarei electorate residents were enrolled - higher than the national average of 89.1 per cent. The Northland electorate was slightly below at 87.8 per cent.

Eighteen candidates are standing throughout the Northland region: eight in Whangarei, six in Northland, and four in Te Tai Tokerau.

Nationally, 3.18 million people were enrolled, at a rate of 89.1 per cent of eligible people. The rate of 18 to 24-year-olds was 66.5 per cent.