# Apprentice voting for the first time

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 5 · Voter profiles · S01

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 5 |
| answers collected | 20 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked nationally | NZ |

## What this voter asked

### Question 1: Jobs and unemployment

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which parties have practical plans for apprenticeships, entry-level jobs and wages?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/23b6b3b2-a56e-450a-b561-2cf3a0e68edd.md)

### Question 2: Cost of living

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are parties proposing that could help a young worker afford everyday expenses without just shifting the cost elsewhere?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/2e8583f7-e1d0-4014-ad6b-14dc27ec410c.md)

### Question 3: Housing

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. If I want to move out in the next couple of years, how do the parties differ on affordable rentals and first-home access?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/0d0571c9-56ec-46e6-8515-fabc002cca8e.md)

### Question 4: Democratic institutions and rights

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do my two votes work, and what does voting for a smaller party actually mean?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/5d68749b-349a-4d73-bbb7-27eee3c87435.md)

### Question 5: Education and childcare

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Do the parties differ on the cost and availability of vocational training?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/6c70f683-194c-4660-8a4c-e735b62e401e.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 20 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 16 | 20 |
| Labour | 17 | 20 |
| Greens | 16 | 20 |
| ACT | 17 | 20 |
| NZ First | 6 | 20 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 5 | 20 |
| TOP | 6 | 20 |

## Party names across this voter’s topics

Each row is one of this voter's topics. Each column is a party. The figure shows how often the party was named in the answers.

This table shows the answers recorded on 23 October. The coloured bars summarise how statements about each party were assessed; select a figure to read the extracts.

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jobs and unemployment | National | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Labour | 4 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Greens | 4 | 4 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | ACT | 4 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | NZ First | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | National | 4 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Labour | 4 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| Cost of living | Greens | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Cost of living | ACT | 4 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Cost of living | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Cost of living | TOP | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Housing | National | 4 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Housing | Labour | 4 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Housing | Greens | 4 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Housing | ACT | 4 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Housing | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Housing | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Housing | TOP | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Democratic institutions and rights | National | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Labour | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Greens | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | ACT | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | NZ First | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | TOP | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Education and childcare | National | 3 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | NZ First | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | TOP | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## How the main answer changed

Gemini kept the same four parties in its apprenticeship answer, but made the choice between immediate financial help and employer-led growth more direct. It separated the tool grants it attributed to Labour and the Greens, while leaving out some of the earlier explanation of election rules.

The comparison describes what the answer offered this apprentice. It does not establish that a promised grant is available to them.

Gemini: “They have campaigned on scrapping the lower training and starting-out minimum wages (which sit at $19.16 per hour, compared to the $23.95 adult minimum wage), requiring all apprentices and entry-level workers to be paid the full minimum wage.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/questions/23b6b3b2-a56e-450a-b561-2cf3a0e68edd.md) · Answer ID: 03afd7c6-69a2-41ef-9a9b-25b6d06ac998

Gemini: “* If your main priority is **immediate cash flow and higher wage protection** (e.g., ensuring you aren't on a lower training wage and getting direct financial help for tools), center-left parties like **Labour** or the **Greens** have direct policy interventions targeting those exact line items.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/23b6b3b2-a56e-450a-b561-2cf3a0e68edd.md) · Answer ID: 9968c410-8990-4cd0-99f8-2f76e257f35b

## The sources behind these answers

The websites recorded with each assistant’s answers for this voter. Choose a topic to see its sources.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| elections.nz | 3 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| national.org.nz | 3 |
| vote.nz | 3 |
| act.org.nz | 2 |
| govt.nz | 2 |
| greens.org.nz | 2 |
| odt.co.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| education.govt.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| 1news.co.nz | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| nbr.co.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| bdo.nz | 1 |
| elections.nz | 1 |
| en.wikipedia.org | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| interest.co.nz | 1 |
| mpm.kiwi | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| elections.nz | 4 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| rnz.co.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| en.wikipedia.org | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| mymortgage.co.nz | 1 |
| newstalkzb.co.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| facebook.com | 4 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| paysauce.com | 3 |
| rnz.co.nz | 3 |
| deloitte.com | 2 |
| elections.nz | 2 |
| en.wikipedia.org | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 2 |
| vote.nz | 2 |

Sources count once per answer. Source lists were recorded for 20 of this voter’s 20 answers. Visible links are counted separately. Other websites include unclassified publishers.

[Previous: Queenstown Lakes — hospitality worker in an insecure rental](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/voters/r09)

[Next: Student renting and working part time](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/voters/s02)