Vision New Zealand leader Hannah Tamaki is "shocked and disappointed" by a "concerning" blunder on ballot papers for the Port Waikato electorate, the error prohibiting locals from voting for the party.
The Electoral Commission admitted on Tuesday that a white circle for people to tick on the voting papers had been missing for Vision New Zealand.
It said the ballots have since been reprinted to ensure the formatting error was rectified.
"The error was picked up by Electoral Commission staff at about midday on Monday and voting continued using voting papers with the correct format. Additional ballot papers are being printed to ensure sufficient supplies are in place," an Electoral Commission spokesperson said in a statement.
But Tamaki, who co-founded the controversial Destiny Church with husband Brian Tamaki in 1998, remains unimpressed.
In a statement on Tuesday, Vision New Zealand said roughly 1900 votes were cast in the Port Waikato electorate before the error was discovered.
"How is this even possible, after all of our hard work, and the fact that we are
a fledgling minor party, first time out of the blocks, that this could even happen to us?" Tamaki said in response to the mistake.
"Even more concerning is the fact that it includes an area where I am well known by family and close friends, and we've done a lot of work in this entire Port Waikato area."
The Port Waikato electorate includes Pukekohe, Waiuku, Pokeno, Tuakau, Clarks Beach, Port Waikato, Mercer and Maramarua.
"What a massive disappointment for a first-time party," Tamaki continued.
"Vision New Zealand has been in the spotlight from inception. It's disappointing that when you are trusting other people to do their job, they are letting the voting public down, and also disadvantaging us.
"When you consider the machinery of the Electoral Commission and the machinery of a new minor party, how is it possible that this has happened?"
However, the party leader said she is "gracious" and will not be pursuing a possible dismissal within the commission for the blunder.
"I suppose other minor parties would want heads to roll, but I am a gracious person."
A recent poll from September placed Vision New Zealand at 0.1 percent - well below the 5 percent required for a party to make it into Parliament.
In June, Tamaki announced she will be contesting the Waiariki electorate seat in this year's election.
