Talking about the Election at school
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All school teachers are subject to the Code of Professional Responsibility. The Code does not prohibit teachers from holding political views. However, given their position of authority, there are some professional boundaries and certain conduct expectations that influence how teachers can express political views around students.
Whether you are talking to colleagues or students about voting, there are some things you definitely can do, and others things we advise against.
What’s okay:
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Helping people enrol to vote or to check if they are enrolled
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Sharing information about how voting works, such as how to find their local polling station, what the experience will be like, and what they can and can’t do in the voting booth.
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Helping them find out the relevant information about which electorate they are in, who they can vote for, and how to find the policies of different political parties.
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Discussing the difference between the Māori and General electoral rolls and how to choose the right one for them, although note that it is now an offense to tell someone which roll to choose.
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You can say who you are voting for and why, so long as you don’t stray into promoting this choice over others.
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Encouraging people to talk to others about enrolling and voting.
What to avoid:
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Telling students who to vote for
- Making values statements about politics (including left vs right) that could ‘unduly influence’ students’ thinking.
If you want further, more specific technical information about political neutrality for teachers, please see PPTA's advice for teachers and school boards
Last modified on Friday, 12 June 2026 13:36