About 83 percent of young people reached by Democracy Lab have enrolled or updated their details
About 83 percent of young people reached by Democracy Lab had either enrolled, updated their details or were already enrolled, according to RNZ.
Democracy Lab is a youth-led initiative founded by Lincoln Jones, an 18-year-old Year 13 student based in Tauranga Moana. Jones is voting for the first time in the 2026 New Zealand election. He affiliates to Te Whakatōhea, Te Arawa, Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri and Ngāti Kahungungu. Jones is also a member of Make It 16, and he previously served as a Youth MP for Willie Jackson of the Labour Party.
The group was set up after changes to electoral law prompted Jones to look at the number of young people on the electoral roll. He said about 200,000 people aged 18 to 24 were unenrolled a few months ago. By the Friday before enrolments closed, that figure had fallen to about 130,000.
Democracy Lab has visited more than 64 schools across the North and South Islands since the end of July, reaching more than 12,000 rangatahi, or young people. Over 8,600 students filled out physical enrolment forms, which the group delivered to the Electoral Commission, the body that runs New Zealand's elections.
Jones has also said Youth MPs would speak as the rangatahi of New Zealand. He told RNZ that rangatahi are not apathetic and care about politics.
