# Voter who wants plain explanations

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 6 · Voter situations · 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.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 4 |
| answers collected | 12 |
| AI assistants | 3 |
| asked nationally | NZ |

## What this voter asked

### Question 115: 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.

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/80af50f5-19b8-4f72-a9ec-7a82d8303dbe.md)

### Question 116: 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.

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/977cd467-389b-4d79-86c2-10e4855b3c43.md)

### Question 117: 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.

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/8a1ba6e5-7434-4737-86d8-5ebf920aab69.md)

### Question 118: 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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/30c3f8df-b312-4168-9dbc-b53e8436f1b0.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 12 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 9 | 12 |
| Labour | 9 | 12 |
| Greens | 9 | 12 |
| ACT | 9 | 12 |
| NZ First | 6 | 12 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 6 | 12 |
| TOP | 3 | 12 |

## 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 26 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Democratic institutions and rights | National | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Labour | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Greens | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | ACT | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | NZ First | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | TOP | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | National | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Labour | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Greens | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | ACT | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | NZ First | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | TOP | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Healthcare | National | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Labour | 3 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Greens | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | ACT | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | NZ First | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | TOP | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |

## How the main answer changed

The plain-language answer kept real party examples and distinguished the party vote from the electorate vote. It omitted the earlier numerical seat example and still left out the threshold for entering Parliament.

Enrolment was left for a follow-up explanation. We did not test whether voters found the answer easier to understand.

Gemini: “* **What it is:** This is a vote for a political party as a whole (for example, Labour, National, Green, ACT, etc.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/80af50f5-19b8-4f72-a9ec-7a82d8303dbe.md) · Answer ID: c591fb73-c1aa-4646-a1c6-424abd64ea8d

Gemini: “* **What it is:** This is a vote for a **political party** as a whole (for example, Labour, National, Green, ACT, etc.).”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/80af50f5-19b8-4f72-a9ec-7a82d8303dbe.md) · Answer ID: c1dd86de-d229-4282-8814-456dc00fcd2f

## 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 | 2 |
| govt.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |
| consumer.org.nz | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| health.govt.nz | 1 |
| kas.de | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| whichparty.nz | 3 |
| nzvotecheck.com | 2 |
| elections.nz | 1 |
| hapaitia.co.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| nzinitiative.org.nz | 1 |
| nzmj.org.nz | 1 |
| policy.nz | 1 |
| pwc.co.nz | 1 |
| thedlist.co.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| elections.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 1 |
| nzmj.org.nz | 1 |
| rnz.co.nz | 1 |
| vote.nz | 1 |
| votecompass.tvnz.co.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |

Sources count once per answer. Citations were recorded in 12 of this voter’s 12 answers. Visible links are counted separately. Other includes websites we have not yet classified.

[Previous: Migrant who has recently become a citizen](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/voters/s21)

[Next: Homeowner exposed to flooding and insurance pressure](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/voters/s23)