A total of 1197 Bay of Plenty residents are not enrolled to vote in this year's general election after their enrolment update packs bounced back because they didn't update their address details.

According to the Tauranga Electoral Office, a total of 563 residents in the BOP electorate and 634 Tauranga electorate residents were removed from the electoral roll due to their addresses being outdated.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic student Zoe Bicker.

Registrar of electors Lesley Christophers says the Electoral Act states it is an offence to knowingly and wilfully fail to apply for registration as an elector.

She says a person who fails to enrol can be fined $100 on a first conviction or $200 on a second or subsequent conviction.

According to Lesley the enrolment and voting processes are not significant factors in people choosing not to enrol.

'It's easy to enrol and vote in New Zealand,” says Lesley.

'Non-voterssay they're too busy. They have little faith in politicians, or have no interest in politics, or cannot make up their mind, or do not think their vote will make a difference.” But she's encouraging New Zealander's to vote and have their say on September 20.

'We are all equal on election day.”

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic student Zoe Bicker enrolled to vote at age 18.

The 25-year-old is studying a Bachelor of Management Studies majoring in public relations and marketing, and is currently fronting a campaign to encourage people her age to vote.

'We've set up a Facebook page and have been encouraging students to vote with our campaign ‘Shut Up or Vote.”

Zoe believes the issue is getting people to vote, not enrol.

'I think a lot of students my age don't vote because they don't relate to politicians very well.”

She says students should be able to vote online or via social media to make voting easier and more accessible.

'I mean you can do your bank transactions and everything online, so I'm sure there would be a suitable and safe way that they can get people to vote online.”

Zoe currently lives in a flat with her partner and one other flatmate, although the details on her enrolment form are her parents' address.

'It's quite hard when you're travelling quite a bit, so you kind of just keep your address as your parent's.”

Another student, who does not wish to be named, says he's never been enrolled.

The 21-year-old knows how to enrol but says it's not an urgent matter for him at the moment.

'We get a lot of information in the mail, which shows step-by-step ways to enrol and you get sent enrolment packs, which is very good – but it just isn't a high priority for me.”

He says he hasn't researched any of the political parties and believes his vote will not be made with true intention.

'At the moment I think me not voting at all will be better for me making my decision [later on], as if I do enrol it's a minded decision influenced by my parents or friends around me.”

Enrolment Services national manager Murray Wicks says more than 43,000 enrolled voters have moved house without updating their enrolment details.

'We want all eligible New Zealanders correctly enrolled to vote. If you're not sure whether you're enrolled, now's the time to check.”

The Electoral Commission mailed enrolment update packs to everyone on the electoral roll at the end of June, asking them to check their enrolment details.

'If you're pack has been returned to us because you've moved house and not updated your enrolment details, you have been removed from the electoral roll and need to fill in a new enrolment form now,” says Murray.

Voters can free text their name and address to 3676, get a form from a PostShop or call Freephone 0800 36 76 56.

People can also enrol or update their details online at www.elections.org.nz

More information about enrolling and voting is available at www.elections.org.nz.