Terms of Service

Last updated: 14 August 2026

These terms cover the VoteSmart app and the VoteSmart website at votesmart.co.nz. Using either means you accept them.

What VoteSmart is

VoteSmart is an independent tool that presents policies published by political parties and lets you record whether you agree, disagree, or are unsure about each one, then shows which party's policies you agreed with most. VoteSmart is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official tool of the New Zealand Electoral Commission or any political party. VoteSmart does not advocate for any party, candidate, or outcome — it reflects your own responses back to you.

Policy content

Policy text is sourced from material published by political parties and kept in sync on a regular schedule. We aim for accuracy but can't guarantee every policy is complete, current, or free of transcription error — always verify important decisions against the party's own official material.

Your account

VoteSmart is intended for people aged 16 and older. You're responsible for keeping your sign-in credentials secure. You may delete your account at any time, which permanently deletes your profile, your responses and your sign-in identity. Two narrow things outlive it — the anonymous totals your answers contributed to, and any donation record we're required to keep for tax purposes. Our Privacy Policy sets out exactly what goes and what stays, and why.

Acceptable use

Don't use VoteSmart to submit false, automated, or manipulated responses intended to distort the aggregate statistics shown to other users, or to attempt unauthorised access to our systems.

If you do, we may suspend or delete your account. Where it's practical and wouldn't undermine the point of acting, we'll tell you why first and give you a chance to respond — but for something actively distorting the statistics other people are relying on, we may act immediately and explain afterwards. If you think we've got it wrong, email support@votesmart.co.nz and a person will look at it.

Beta and early releases

While VoteSmart is in beta or early release, it may be unstable, incomplete, or change without notice. Features can be added, altered or withdrawn, and data recorded during that period may be reset. Don't rely on a beta version to inform a real voting decision.

Who owns what

Your responses are yours. You can review them, change them, or delete them with your account. We use them as described in the Privacy Policy and for nothing else.

VoteSmart's own material — the app, the website, the name, the logo, the design, and the way policies are organised and compared — belongs to us. Don't copy or reuse it beyond what the law allows without asking first.

Party policy text belongs to the parties. VoteSmart quotes material each party has published, attributed to that party, so you can see the policy in its own words rather than our paraphrase of it. We don't claim ownership of it and we don't speak for the party that wrote it. If you're a party or an author and you believe we've reproduced your material in a way we shouldn't have, email support@votesmart.co.nz and we'll deal with it promptly.

Donations

VoteSmart is independent and accepts optional donations, processed by Stripe. By donating, you agree to Stripe's own terms governing the payment itself.

No warranty

VoteSmart is provided "as is" for informational purposes. It is not political, legal, or voting advice, and we make no guarantee it is free of errors or interruptions. Nothing here limits any right you have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or Fair Trading Act 1986 that can't lawfully be excluded.

Our liability

Nothing in this section limits any right you have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or the Fair Trading Act 1986 that can't lawfully be excluded, and if you're using VoteSmart as a consumer, those rights come first.

Beyond that, and to the extent the law allows: we aren't liable for indirect or consequential loss, and our total liability to you for any claim connected with VoteSmart is limited to the greater of NZ$100 or the total you've donated to us in the twelve months before the claim. If you're using VoteSmart for business purposes, the Consumer Guarantees Act doesn't apply.

VoteSmart tells you which published policies you agreed with. What you do with that — how you vote, or whether you vote — is your decision, and we're not responsible for it.

Changes

We may update these terms from time to time; continued use after a change means you accept the update. If a change materially affects your rights, we'll flag it in the app rather than rely on you noticing the date.

Which law applies

These terms are governed by New Zealand law, and the New Zealand courts have non-exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute. VoteSmart is built for people in Aotearoa New Zealand and isn't offered to people elsewhere.

Before going to court, please email support@votesmart.co.nz — most things can be sorted out directly and we'd rather sort them out that way.

Contact

support@votesmart.co.nz