New Zealand early voting surges ahead of November 7 election

November 2, 2026 10:36 AM

New Zealand early voting surges ahead of November 7 election

Nearly 1 million ballots have been cast in the first week of early voting for the New Zealand general election, the country's electoral commission said on Monday. A total of 913,762 votes were cast between October 26 and November 1, according to New Zealand's Electoral Commission The count represents a 28% jump compared with the same period during the 2023 election The busiest day was Saturday when more than 190,000 votes were issued, the commission said "Voting has got off to a good start, ...

Early voting opens in New Zealand for November 7 election with no clear frontrunner

October 26, 2026 2:14 PM

Early voting opens in New Zealand for November 7 election with no clear frontrunner

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the national election on November 7 would be decided on economic issues, as early voting opened on Monday in a race that polls suggest will be closely contested. With voters frustrated by a sluggish economy and persistently high inflation, the cost of living has emerged as a key election issue, prompting competing policy solutions from across the political spectrum. Luxon said his National Party had "the best plan" to help the economy to grow a...