With just a month to go before enrolments close for New Zealand’s general election, local organisations are pulling out the stops to ensure Dunedin voters are signed up.

This Sunday, St Michael & All Angels Church in Andersons Bay will play its part by hosting an “Enrolment Sunday” event following the morning service.

Part of the Otago Peninsula Anglican Parish, the church is led by parish priest in charge Reverend Michael Holdaway, who is very keen to get as many Dunedin people on the electoral roll as possible.

"We are encouraging people to make sure they are on the electoral roll, and then to get out and vote,” Rev Holdaway said.

"It is both an expression of ‘love thy neighbour’ and also being a good citizen.”

Under rule changes introduced by the current Government, to vote in a general election people need to be enrolled by midnight, 13 days before Election Day, November 7.

For the 2026 General Election this means eligible voters can't enrol or update their details after midnight on October 25.

Rev Holdaway said the St Michael’s Church Enrolment Sunday event was part of a project by Grace Aotearoa which aimed to encourage voting.

The enrolment event will be held from 11am this Sunday, September 27, at the church, 44 Elliot St, Andersons Bay, following the regular service. People are welcome, but not required, to attend the service first — just dropping in is fine.

“We will have all the required voting forms here for people to fill out, and any information that is needed,” Rev Holdaway way.

"We will also have a laptop on hand and a helper so that people can log in to the electoral commission and check if they are on the roll or not, and if any of their details need to be updated.”

Completed forms will be packaged up and sent away to the Electoral Commission by post.

Those already on the roll should have received notification in the post.

Rev Holdaway is hoping for a good turnout for the enrolment event, and subsequently the election.

"Please do make sure you are enrolled to vote — it is very important that we all do so,” he said.

If people couldn’t make it on Sunday, there were organisations across Dunedin offering similar opportunities to enrol.

Raising the youth vote in the general election will be the focus of the “Rock the Vote” multi-band all-ages gig, to be held next Saturday, October 3, from 12.30pm-8pm at the Southern Lights Yard, 18-24 Devon St, in the wharf area.

Pet Services

St Michael’s & All Saints Church will host a full Anglican pet service on October 4, at 10am, to mark the feast day of St Francis of Assisi.

In addition, a relaxed, community pet blessing service will be held at Macandrew Bay Hall at 4pm on October 19. This will be followed by supper.

The public are welcome to attend both events, with well-controlled pets, as a celebration of creation.