Vote 2020: Parties scrambling to adjust campaign plans with election delay

Key dates:

• Today: Parliament reconvenes

• September 6: Parliament dissolves.

• September 7-21: The Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update (Prefu) 2020

• September 13: Writ Day, nominations close September 18.

• October 3: Advance voting begins, last day for return of the writ is November 12.

• October 17: Election day.

• October 30: The initial referendum results will be revealed.

• November 6: Full referendum results.

Delaying the election by a month has left political parties scrambling to make new campaign plans, with the Covid-19 outbreak torpedoing electioneering.

And the new polling date comes with an added bonus for voters - besides having their say on who governs the country - their own "very attractive" pen.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday decided to delay the election until October 17 because of the disruption caused by the latest outbreak and two-week lockdown of Auckland.

It's the first time since World War II the election has been delayed.

Moving the election was entirely Ardern's decision with the Electoral Commission advising voting could happen safely under alert level 2 and it had contingency plans for outbreaks.

Moving polling day to October 17 meant the Electoral Commission had more time to prepare, could improve voter turnout and gave all parties "a fair shot" to campaign with 60 days until the election, said Ardern.

It would also give New Zealanders certainty with the promise the date would not be moved again.

Illustration / Rod Emmerson

"I do want to give an assurance that I do not intend to change the election date again. We are all adapting, but adapting also means preparing for all circumstances we may face together."

A delay to the election was supported by a majority of voters in a NZ Herald-Kantar poll, released the morning of the Prime Minister's decision.

In the poll, 60 per cent of respondents did not think the election should still be held on September 19.

That view was particularly strong among Auckland voters who are at a level 3 lockdown until at least August 26. Only 34 per cent of those in Auckland wanted the election to go ahead on September 19.

15 per cent of those polled said it should be delayed to October – the timing the PM settled on.

Almost one quarter preferred a November election, while 21 per cent said it should wait until next year.

The poll of 1000 eligible voters was taken from August 12 to August 16 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 per cent.

Ardern also opted to recall Parliament for another two weeks with a pared down schedule in the House with just ministerial statements, Question Time and General Debate.

It will likely adjourn again next Wednesday ahead of its new dissolution date of September 6. If there is another outbreak after that, the Electoral Commission can move the election out week-by-week.

It also has the option to adjourn voting in single electorates, regions or the whole country and can utilise postal voting for people who are ill.

Early voting will start on October 3 and overseas voting on September 30.

The decisions to delay the election and dissolution of Parliament were welcomed by the other parties, the majority of which had called for the election to be delayed.

National Party leader Judith Collins on the campaign trail before it got derailed. Photo / Dean Purcell

National leader Judith Collins, who wanted the election moved to next year, which would require a law change, said she "acknowledges the new date".

"The country is in a difficult situation and the political decisions we make to get us through this should be scrutinised by elected representatives. All voices must be heard if we are to move forward as a united team."

National was forced to cancel its big campaign launch in South Auckland last weekend because of the outbreak.

The party's campaign chair and deputy leader Gerry Brownlee said they were looking at whether to "rekindle that" and were working through how to campaign in different alert levels.

New Zealand First leader and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said "commonsense has prevailed" with Ardern's decision to delay.

Last week he wrote Ardern a three-page letter imploring her to consider a later date, with his long-held preference for a "summer election" in November.

Before the latest outbreak, Peters wasn't even a week into his electioneering tour of the country in the "back your future" NZ First bus.

Peters said parties could now prepare to campaign again NZ First was now looking at its strategy to get back out on the campaign trail "as soon as safely possible".

Winston Peters brought the NZ First bus back to Parliament after the recent outbreak. Photo / Amelia Wade

Act also supported the delay with its leader David Seymour saying he had to cancel more than a dozen events, including debates and community meetings.

"In order to have a free and fair election, candidates need to be out in the community listening to voters, and that's not possible while Aucklanders are housebound," he said.

"The extra time will allow a proper contest of ideas.

But the Greens said the parties calling for a delay were doing it out of a "naked political self-interest".

Co-leader James Shaw said the October 17 date achieved a "fine balance" between keeping New Zealanders safe and their right to vote.

"We have been incredibly disappointed to see the National and other small parties continue to use the weekend to bang on about what would suit them best politically when it comes to the Election Day date.

"Frankly, many New Zealanders would have heard loud and clear that these parties prioritise their potential electoral successes over the health of our communities, and the strength of our democratic institutions."

Chief electoral officer Alicia Wright says the Electoral Commission is in the process of adjusting its plans.

Moving polling day to a date during the school holidays would affect their workforce with people moving around the country, but it also mean more facilities like schools would be free for booths.

Wright said the message for New Zealanders this election was: "Voting early, and voting local".

There'll be about 2000 voting sites, including 48 at marae, around the country with postal voting available for people who are isolating or ill.

The Commission's budget is $90 million, including an additional $28 million to help it adjust to the changes.

As well, it's made two million special "very attractive pens" to limit the spread of germs but Wright also urged voters to bring their own in case.