New Zealand Law Society - Law Society elections for President-Elect: how voting works
President-Elect elections usually occur every three years. A New Zealand Law Society President can serve a maximum of three one-year terms. Most Presidents serve the full maximum of three years.
If a poll vote is called, Law Society branches with more than 500 members (Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury-Westland and Waikato Bay of Plenty) receive an additional vote for each 500 members in excess of the first 500 and any additional part of 500 members (where such additional part is in excess of 250 members). As these branches have more than one vote, they can also split votes between candidates.
All other branches have one vote, along with each of the three sections, the New Zealand Bar Association and Large Law Firms Group Ltd, Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa and the Pacific Lawyers Association.
A majority of the total votes and the support of the representatives of at least four branches is required to be elected. Board members may not vote in the election if a poll is called.
For more information about the voting process see r.8 of the Constitution.
President-elect assumes the office of President at the Law Society's annual general meeting, which is usually held in April.