Choosing who to vote for in New Zealand's 2026 general election

If you're undecided, you don't need to start by choosing a political party. Start by working out what matters most to you, then compare the parties' policies, records, and plans against those priorities.

New Zealand's political parties have different approaches to the economy, healthcare, housing, education, climate change, taxation, and public services. You don't have to agree with one party on everything, either.

I'll help you work through the options in a straightforward, non-partisan way, so you can make a decision that reflects your own values.

1. Start with the issues that matter most to you

Consider these questions:

• Cost of living: Are you most concerned about groceries, rent, mortgages, wages, or taxes?
• Healthcare: Do you want more funding for public healthcare, shorter waiting lists, and better access to GPs and mental health services?
• Housing: Is your priority making homes more affordable, increasing housebuilding, improving renters' rights, or helping people buy their first home?
• Economy and jobs: Do you favour lower taxes and less government spending, or greater public investment in services and infrastructure?
• Education: Are you concerned about school achievement, teacher shortages, school funding, or tertiary education costs?
• Crime and justice: Do you prioritise tougher sentencing and policing, or prevention, rehabilitation, and addressing the causes of crime?
• Climate and environment: How important are emissions reductions, renewable energy, environmental protection, and the cost of the transition?
• Māori issues and the Treaty of Waitangi: What approach do you favour to Treaty obligations, Māori representation, and reducing disparities?
• Immigration: Are you most concerned about skills shortages, population growth, infrastructure pressures, or immigration levels?

You don't need to have a strong opinion on every issue. It's perfectly reasonable to care deeply about two or three and have less definite views on the others.

2. Understand the main political parties

A useful starting point is to understand the different political approaches represented in Parliament and the wider election.

The following is a broad guide to the parties' traditional political orientations, not a ranking or a substitute for checking their 2026 policies.

Party	General political orientation	Questions to consider
National	Centre-right; traditionally emphasises business, economic growth, personal responsibility, and public-sector performance.	Do you favour its approach to taxation, economic growth, and public services?
Labour	Centre-left; traditionally emphasises public services, workers' interests, and reducing social and economic inequality.	Do you support its approach to healthcare, housing, wages, and government investment?
Green Party	Progressive; places substantial emphasis on climate action, environmental protection, and social and economic justice.	How important are climate change, inequality, and environmental policy to you?
ACT New Zealand	Right-wing, with an emphasis on individual freedom, lower taxes, smaller government, and market-oriented policies.	Do you favour reducing government's role in the economy and placing greater emphasis on individual choice?
New Zealand First	Nationalist and populist, with emphasis on national sovereignty, immigration controls, and regional interests.	How important are immigration policy, national sovereignty, and regional development to you?
Te Pāti Māori	Māori-centred and generally progressive; emphasises tino rangatiratanga, Māori rights, and addressing inequities affecting Māori.	What are your views on the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori representation, and addressing social disparities?
The Opportunities Party (TOP)	Centrist and policy-focused, with an emphasis on structural reform and evidence-informed policy.	Are you interested in alternatives to the traditional major-party approaches, particularly on economic and social policy?

These descriptions are generalisations. Individual policies can cross traditional ideological boundaries, and parties can change their positions between elections.

Other parties will also be on the ballot. The Electoral Commission confirmed that 17 registered parties are contesting the 2026 party vote. You can see the complete list on the official election website. elections.nz, elections.nz

3. Compare what parties actually propose for 2026

Knowing a party's general philosophy is useful, but its specific policies matter more when deciding how to vote.

For example, if your main concern is the cost of living, compare the parties on:

• Tax changes and their effects on your household.
• Plans to increase wages and employment.
• Housing supply, rents, and homeownership.
• Their proposed spending and how they intend to pay for it.

If healthcare is your biggest concern, compare their proposals for:

• Funding and staffing in the public health system.
• GP access and prescription costs.
• Hospital waiting lists.
• Mental health services.

If you're particularly interested in the environment, Greenpeace Aotearoa's 2026 election scorecards compare party positions on climate, conservation, freshwater, oceans, and environmental law. Remember that this is an environmental advocacy organisation's assessment of those particular issues, rather than a comprehensive evaluation of every party's policies. greenpeace.org

For a broader perspective, you can also consult The Spinoff's 2026 election coverage and read the parties' own policy announcements.

One important consideration: A policy promise isn't the same as a delivered result. Look at what a party proposes, what it has done when previously in government, how its plans would be funded, and whether it would need coalition partners to implement them.

4. Understand how your vote works

New Zealand uses the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting system. In the general election, you get two votes:

• Party vote: This is your vote for the party you want represented in Parliament. It largely determines each party's share of parliamentary seats.
• Electorate vote: This is your vote for the candidate you want to represent your local electorate.

A party generally needs at least 5% of the party vote or to win an electorate seat to qualify for parliamentary representation. elections.nz

This means you don't necessarily have to vote for the same party and candidate.

For example, you might prefer one party's national policies but think a candidate from another party would represent your local community more effectively.

The 2026 general election is scheduled for Saturday, 7 November 2026, with advance voting beginning on 26 October. Official information is available at Vote NZ. vote.nz

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5. Let's narrow it down to what matters to you

Rather than giving you a generic recommendation, I'd like to understand your priorities first. Then I can compare the relevant parties' actual policies and explain where they agree and disagree.

Of all the issues facing New Zealand, what are the two or three that matter most to you personally?

For example, you might say:

• "The cost of living, housing, and healthcare."
• "The economy, taxes, and getting businesses growing."
• "Climate change, the environment, and inequality."
• "Crime, immigration, and public safety."
• "Education, children's futures, and public services."
• "I'm not sure yet. I want to understand which parties would make life better for ordinary New Zealanders."

You can also give me your own answer in your own words.

From there, we can compare National, Labour, the Greens, ACT, New Zealand First, Te Pāti Māori, TOP, and any other relevant parties on your chosen issues, using their 2026 policies and available evidence. The aim is to help you understand the trade-offs and reach your own decision, rather than push you towards a particular party.