How the Voting System Works
New Zealand holds a general election every three years and uses the Mixed-Member Proportional system, or MMP. Each voter makes two choices: a representative for their constituency and a political party. The constituency candidate with the most votes becomes an MP. Parties must win at least 5% of the total party votes to earn a seat in parliament, and seats are shared out proportionately. A party with 40% of the party votes, for example, gets 40% of the seats set aside for parties.
Parliament typically has 120 seats, with 71 going to constituencies and the other 49 distributed among parties. Outright majorities are rare, so parties usually form coalitions. The country adopted MMP in 1996 over concerns that small parties were being shut out.
The Main Players
Luxon's National party came to power in 2023 and governs in coalition with ACT and New Zealand First. It has focused on economic management, restoring a budget surplus and expanding KiwiSaver, the national retirement savings scheme. The main opposition is the centre-left Labour party, led by former prime minister Chris Hipkins, which is campaigning on lower living costs, better healthcare and transport, and investment in housing, jobs and public services.
National's partners have their own priorities. ACT, led by David Seymour, has pushed for stricter immigration policies. New Zealand First, led by Winston Peters, wants voting limited to citizens only. The Green Party, co-led by Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson, has campaigned on wealth taxes, renewable energy and public services. Te Pāti Māori, which represents Māori interests, is also competing, with housing, healthcare, education and constitutional reform among its priorities.
What Voters Care About
Cost of living is the biggest worry. A September 2026 Ipsos survey found 63% of respondents named inflation and living costs as one of the country's most important issues. Healthcare and hospitals came second at 44%, followed by the economy at 34%. Unemployment is a growing concern too, with 21% calling it a major issue, which pushed it past housing to become the fourth most important issue.
When Will We Know the Result?
Polling places open at 09:00 local time on 7 November (20:00 GMT on 6 November), and voting ends at 19:00. Advance voting began on 26 October, while overseas voting started earlier, on 21 October. Preliminary results will roll out from 19:00 on election night through the official election results website, but they won't be the final count. The Electoral Commission will declare official results on 27 November after counting and verification.
A clear result on election night could show which parties are best placed to govern. A tight race, however, could delay negotiations if no party wins an outright majority, so New Zealanders may have to wait beyond election night to learn who will lead the country for the next three years.
