---
title: "Voter who wants plain explanations"
publisher: "Onsomble Limited"
publication: "NZBrands.ai"
edition: 1
collected_on: "2026-10-05"
html_url: "https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/voters/s22/"
---

# Voter who wants plain explanations

Edition 1 · answers collected 5 October 2026.

[Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/voters/s22/)

I'm an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to.

This is a designed voter situation, not a representative sample or a finding about everyone in that group.

## What they asked

### PF115 · Democratic institutions and rights

I'm an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Explain how voting works and why there are two votes using ordinary words.

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: The voter explicitly needs accessible civic information.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/80af50f5-19b8-4f72-a9ec-7a82d8303dbe.md)

### PF116 · Cost of living

I'm an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties want to do about food and bills? Explain the differences simply.

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: A familiar practical topic tests accessible policy explanation.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/977cd467-389b-4d79-86c2-10e4855b3c43.md)

### PF117 · Healthcare

I'm an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties differ on helping people see a doctor or get hospital treatment? Keep it clear and practical.

Study-assigned priority: Secondary. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: A familiar service topic tests useful accessible comparisons.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/8a1ba6e5-7434-4737-86d8-5ebf920aab69.md)

### PF118 · Democratic institutions and rights

I'm an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. I don't know which party to choose. How can I compare them without you guessing what I believe?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: An undecided voter asks for a process rather than assumed beliefs.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/30c3f8df-b312-4168-9dbc-b53e8436f1b0.md)

## Which parties AI put in front of this voter

Of the 16 answers this voter received, 12 left out at least one of the six parties in Parliament. Te Pāti Māori was named least often, in 6 of 16.

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers collected |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 9 | 16 |
| Labour | 10 | 16 |
| Greens | 7 | 16 |
| ACT | 9 | 16 |
| NZ First | 8 | 16 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 6 | 16 |
| Opportunity | 1 | 16 |

## Issue by issue

## Democratic institutions and rights

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 1 | 8 | 12.5% | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Labour | 2 | 8 | 25.0% | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 1 | 8 | 12.5% | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 1 | 8 | 12.5% | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| NZ First | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 1 | 8 | 12.5% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Cost of living

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Healthcare

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 26 | 1 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 9 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Greens | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 7 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 5 | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## How the assistants handled this voter’s main question

PF115 asks for ordinary words without condescension. ChatGPT begins directly with two votes on the same paper and the difference between party representation and a local candidate. The Google answers also use a physical-paper description. Gemini adds a welcome and explanatory headings before describing the system.

Gemini's closing analogy calls the electorate vote a choice of who fixes things in the neighbourhood. This is accessible language, but it can imply a delivery role beyond an MP's authority. The simpler the analogy, the more important it is to preserve the boundary between representation and operational responsibility.

The dossier also includes a direct guidance question plus health and costs. A reader can compare how the same plain-language need is handled when the question moves from mechanics to policy. The evidence supports observations about wording and structure; it does not measure reading level, comprehension, trust or the likelihood of voting.

ChatGPT

> For the 2026 New Zealand general election, you get two votes on the same voting paper:

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/80af50f5-19b8-4f72-a9ec-7a82d8303dbe.md)

Gemini

> Welcome to voting! It is completely normal to find political terms confusing at first, and asking questions is the best way to start.

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/80af50f5-19b8-4f72-a9ec-7a82d8303dbe.md)

Google AI Mode

> In New Zealand's 2026 general election, you get two separate votes—one for a political party and one for your local area representative—which lets you help decide both who runs the government and who speaks for your local community.

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/80af50f5-19b8-4f72-a9ec-7a82d8303dbe.md)

Google AI Overviews

> Voting in the 2026 New Zealand general election is your chance to choose the people who make the laws and run the country. You do not need to understand complicated political jargon to participate.

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/80af50f5-19b8-4f72-a9ec-7a82d8303dbe.md)

## Sources recorded against the answers

## ChatGPT

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4 | 4 | 4 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| elections.nz | 2 |
| greens.org.nz | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| vote.nz | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |
| consumer.org.nz | 1 |
| health.govt.nz | 1 |
| maoriparty.org.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 8 |
| Government | 5 |
| News | 0 |
| Comparison sites | 3 |
| Advocacy groups | 2 |
| Businesses | 0 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 0 |

## Gemini

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4 | 4 | 1 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| policy.nz | 3 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| elections.nz | 1 |
| electoral-reform.org.uk | 1 |
| facebook.com | 1 |
| gpaotearoa.co.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| retail.kiwi | 1 |
| superprof.co.nz | 1 |
| votecompass.tvnz.co.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 1 |
| Government | 1 |
| News | 1 |
| Comparison sites | 4 |
| Advocacy groups | 2 |
| Businesses | 0 |
| Social media | 1 |
| Other | 2 |

## Google AI Mode

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4 | 4 | 2 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| 1news.co.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| elections.nz | 1 |
| en.wikipedia.org | 1 |
| facebook.com | 1 |
| map.vote.nz | 1 |
| nzdoctor.co.nz | 1 |
| votecompass.com | 1 |
| whichparty.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 0 |
| Government | 2 |
| News | 3 |
| Comparison sites | 4 |
| Advocacy groups | 1 |
| Businesses | 0 |
| Social media | 1 |
| Other | 2 |

## Google AI Overviews

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4 | 1 | 0 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| facebook.com | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |
| policy.nz | 1 |
| rnz.co.nz | 1 |
| whichparty.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 3 |
| Government | 0 |
| News | 1 |
| Comparison sites | 2 |
| Advocacy groups | 0 |
| Businesses | 0 |
| Social media | 1 |
| Other | 0 |

## What this can and cannot tell you

One set of answers, from made-up voters, on one day.

Each question was asked once. AI assistants vary their answers, so a repeat run would differ in wording and detail. The location comparison shows that answers differed; proving that location caused the difference would need repeat runs and verified access locations.

The voters are designed situations, not a sample of New Zealanders. The study shows what the assistants said and lets anyone check it. It does not show whether anyone changed their vote, or why the assistants answered as they did.

We read all 32 voting-guidance answers and the case-study questions in full, and checked 17 statements. We have not read all 815 answers in full or checked every policy claim.

[Read the complete methodology](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/method.md)

## Publication and corrections

Published and funded by Onsomble Limited. NZBrands.ai takes no view on any party or policy.

[Independence](https://nzbrands.ai/about/independence/) · [Corrections](https://nzbrands.ai/about/corrections/) · [Contact](https://nzbrands.ai/about/contact/)