A law change means hundreds of prisoners who are serving a jail term of three years or less will be voting in this year's general election.
It's inspired many of the convicted criminals at Christchurch Women’s Prison to engage with politics for the very first time.
“We might physically remove people from their communities, but they don't lose interest in their communities. They share all the same concerns, interests and worries that we do,” prison director Deborah Alleyne says.
Many of the inmates have been watching the debates and keeping up with the news.
Legislation passed in June means prisoners serving a term of less than three years can now have their say.
“I think we are still humans and we should still be able to have a say in what is going on in our country,” an inmate told 1 NEWS.
“Now I'm in jail and I can actually sit down and think about it, instead of having all the distractions of the outside world. It's been easier to vote.”
Those working in the prison see it as a positive step towards reintegration with society.
“Prison is the punishment. What we should be doing is preparing those people for release again, and part of a successful release is about belonging to a community,” the prison director said.
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