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Lorde ‘told off’ after accidentally breaking New Zealand election rules

Lorde has claimed that she was told off by the New Zealand electoral commission for breaking the rules of their mayoral ballot.

After voting in the Auckland ballot, the New Zealand born pop artist shared her completed papers with her followers via her Instagram story.

“Local election turnout is low as always – get out there – your community needs you,” said Lorde in the image caption, encouraging her followers to vote.

However, as Lorde’s post showed who’d she’d chosen to vote for, this apparently broke Auckland electoral rules which don’t allow posts on chosen candidates or of voting papers.

Within a few hours, the “Royals” singer deleted the post and shared a video addressing the issue.

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“Ok, so the Electoral Commission told me off because you’re not allowed to post anything about who you’re gonna vote for or show voting papers,” she said in the video.

“So, uh, you know – the post still applies…get out there,” she added, ensuring she was still encouraging her followers to vote in the forthcoming election.

The Electoral Commission guidelines state that posts surrounding voting papers could “breach the election day rules” by way of potentially causing an “influence on how another voter should vote".

This isn’t the first time the singer has been vocal about politics. She made headlines over the summer during her Glastonbury performance, in which she joined a number of musicians who used the event to condemn the US Supreme Court’s ruling over Roe v Wade.

The singer performed on the Pyramid Stage on 26 June: During her set, Lorde delivered a speech that she concluded with: “F*** the Supreme Court.”

“Welcome to sadness,” said the singer on stage. “The temperature is unbearable until you face it. Wanna hear a secret girls? Your bodies were destined to be controlled and objectified since before you were born.

“That horror is your birthright. But here’s another secret. You possess ancient strength. Ancient wisdom. Wisdom that has propelled every woman that came before you. That wisdom is also your birthright. I ask you today, make exercising that wisdom your life’s work because everything depends on it. F*** the Supreme Court.”

The musician’s speech was met with cheers from the crowd, before she launched into a performance of her 2021 track “Mood Ring”.