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- Last Update: 12 Sep 2008
Key dates
Saturday 8 November 2008 is election day
| 2008 GENERAL ELECTION TIMETABLE | |
| Friday 3 October | Dissolution of Parliament |
| Tuesday 7 October | Last day for registration of parties/logos with the Electoral Commission |
| Wednesday 8 October | Writ Day Governor General issues formal direction to the Chief Electoral Officer to hold the election. Electoral Rolls close for printing Voters enrolled after this date cast special declaration votes. Candidate and party television and radio advertising may start |
| Thursday 9 October | Nominations called for by Public Notice |
Monday 13 October Noon | Bulk Nominations Deadline for registered political parties to bulk nominate their electorate candidates to the Chief Electoral Officer. |
Tuesday 14 October Noon | Party Lists Deadline for political parties to submit list candidates to the Chief Electoral Officer. |
Tuesday 14 October Noon | Deadline for individual nominations of electorate candidates to Returning Officers. |
Wednesday 15 October Noon | Names of all electorate and list candidates released by Chief Electoral Officer. Production of ballot papers begins. |
Thursday 16 October 2.00pm target | Polling Place and Advance Polling Place details available |
| Friday 17 October | Last day for listing third parties with the Electoral Commission |
| Wednesday 22 October | Advance Voting starts in New Zealand |
| Wednesday 22 October | Overseas voting starts |
| Saturday 1 November | EasyVote Information Packs available |
| Friday 7 November | Enrolments cease Last day to enrol for the election Advance voting ceases at 6.00pm |
Friday 7 November Midnight | All political advertising ceases and election signs taken down |
| Saturday 8 November | Election Day Polling places open from 9.00am to 7.00pm Election Night Preliminary results released progressively from 7.00pm on www.electionresults.govt.nz Targets for release: by 8.30pm all advance vote results by 10.00pm results from 50% of polling places by 11.30pm results from 100% of polling places. |
Saturday 22 November 2.00pm target | Official Results declared (including special declaration votes). |
| Wednesday 26 November | Deadline for applications for Judicial Recount |
| Thursday 27 November | Return of Writ by Chief Electoral Officer showing successful electorate candidates* |
| Friday 28 November | Declaration of Election of List Members |
| Friday 12 December | Deadline for Broadcaster Returns of Election Programmes to the Electoral Commission |
Tuesday 3 March 2009 | Deadline for Returns of Party Election Expenses to the Electoral Commission |
| Tuesday 10 March 2009 | Deadline for Returns of Third Party Election Expenses and Donations to the Electoral Commission |
| Tuesday 10 March 2009 | Deadline for Returns of Candidate Election Expenses and Donations to Chief Electoral Officer. |
*if recount required, then return of writ, final results, election of list candidates and deadline for returns of party election expenses delayed by 4-5 days.