A North Island electoral official says they're getting dozens of queries every day from people who still haven't got their voting papers for the local elections.

She says people are finding the system confusing and some will be put off from voting.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta revealed on Thursday she also hadn't received her papers and says there may be a review of how the elections are run.

The official, who RNZ has agreed not to identify, says the number of people complaining they haven't got their voting pack is growing as Tuesday's deadline for posting ballots gets closer.

She's getting about 40 queries a day.

"So some of them they didn't get their papers, they had not updated their details, so the responsibility for that's with them, but I'd say maybe a third of people were convinced that they'd updated their details.

"Then there were some people whose details were correct in the system but no envelope had ever landed in their letterbox."

The official says everyone should have received their voting papers by Wednesday last week.

"We've had quite a few people coming in the door saying 'My husband got it, we live together, we've lived in this house for a while, but I didn't get papers' and so they've had to come in specially to see us, and that's an effort that not everyone's going to make."

She worries that the confusion will mean even fewer people voting and says the system should be run nationally by the Electoral Commission, just as it is for the general elections.

Currently most councils hire one of two private companies to manage their elections.

The Postal Workers Union also wants change.

Union president John Maynard says NZ Post does not have enough staff to deal with business as usual, let alone a postal election.

The union has been warning about short staffing and a lack of post boxes since 2016.

"A key thing is to have adequate staffing for postie branches and then of course focusing on getting those important things out like the postal envelopes and having places for people to return the ballot."

NZ Post says it has delivered 3.5 million voter packs and is checking all its depots for any stray envelopes.

But that won't help people like Terry in Waikanae - he says he has not received his voting papers because he doesn't live at a recognised postal address.

"I'll probably go down to the Kāpiti Coast District Council on Saturday morning and see whether they're open and see if I can vote there."

Local Government chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene says it's not too late for those who haven't got their voting papers.

"You can check whether you're enrolled by going online at the Electoral Commission, see if you're enrolled, and then get in touch with your council and cast a special vote," she says.

"We really encourage people to do that this weekend as an absolute priority."

Voting closes at midday on October 8.

-RNZ.