Election 2026: Electoral Commission responds to concerns over thick voting pens
Voters say they are worried their ballots might not be counted after struggling with the “fat” felt-tip pens provided at voting places.
Callers to Newstalk ZB’s Overnight Talk with Tim Beveridge on Thursday criticised the thick nibs on the orange pens, saying they made it difficult to place an accurate tick inside the circles.
“It’s an orange colour and the actual nib of it is so big ... The circles aren’t that big,” Lynn said.
“When you’re doing that first stroke downwards, the colour is coming out of the felt pen and starting to blend into the actual paper itself.”
She said she had since fretted over whether her vote would be accepted.
Another caller, Sandra, also criticised the size of the nibs.
“[The pens] are quite thick and the circles are small, so it was a bit of a strain to get a tick in the circle. I don’t know why they make the nibs so big. Why don’t they make a finer nib?”
Beveridge agreed it was “very hard” to make an accurate tick because the pens were “so fat”. He said he had the same concern at the previous election and questioned whether he would need another voting paper.
However, Electoral Commission deputy chief executive operations Anusha Guler said voters should not worry if their tick or voting mark did not fit inside the voting circle.
“As long as your preference is clear and you’ve only ticked one candidate and one party, your vote will be counted.”
She said orange pens were provided because the colour showed up clearly, making votes easier for staff to count. Voters were welcome to bring their own pens if they preferred.
“We recommend a black or blue ink pen as these can be seen easily by our staff when counting the votes.”
Guler said voters should not show completed voting papers to staff because their votes were secret.
However, anyone who felt their vote was unclear or who made a mistake could return the voting paper and ask for another. The returned paper would be treated as a “spoilt” voting paper and would not be counted.
Voting closes at 7pm on election day, Saturday, November 7. You can find your local polling stations here.