Advance voting in the Tauranga by-election opened on Saturday with most voting booths open today until 4pm.

Electoral Commission voting services manager Graeme Astle said voters have the choice of seven sites around the city at which to vote early.

They include the Bayfair, Tauranga Crossing and Fraser Cove shopping centres.

Advance voting was planned with the aim of increasing participation, says Graeme.

"It's giving people a larger opportunity - more days leading up to election day to cast their vote if they wish, and a wide range of voting places.

"Hopefully they will find them in places that people often go to about their normal daily business."

Voters can use their individual easy-vote card they should have received in the mail, or could enrol to vote at any of the sites.

Graeme says residents should look out for their EasyVote pack in their letterbox.

The pack includes an EasyVote card, and list of voting places and opening hours.”

"If you live in the Tauranga electorate and didn't get an EasyVote pack, it means you're not enrolled or you need to update your address on the electoral roll. Do it now, so you can have your say in the by-election.

"You can enrol or update your details online at vote.nz. You can also enrol and vote at the same time at any voting place, including on election day."

Voting place locations and opening hours are also available online at vote.nz or by calling freephone 0800 36 76 56.

"If you can't get to a voting place because you're away or unwell, you can still vote. Call 0800 36 76 56 or contact the Electorate Manager (Returning Officer) at Tauranga@vote.nz for more information.'

Voting for Tauranga electors who are overseas opened on Wednesday June 1, along with telephone dictation services for voters who are blind or partially blind.

The Tauranga seat was made vacant by the resignation from Parliament of National MP Simon Bridges, in April.

There are 12 candidates contesting the seat, with transport, health reforms and housing hot topics at a recent debate.

The candidates are: ONE Party's Allan Cawood, Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party's Christopher Coker, independent candidates Tony Corbett and Gordon Dickson, NZ Outdoors and Freedom Party's Sue Grey, New National Party's Andrew Hollis, New Conservative's Helen Houghton, independent Yvette Lamare, ACT New Zealand's Cameron Luxton, Labour Party's Jan Tinetti, National Party's Sam Uffindell and independent Peter Wakeman.

Voting is to close at 7pm on the official election day, June 18.