The 2026 election preliminary results, released on 8 November, show it’s too close to call, leaving the country waiting to see if the next government will be led by a National- or Labour-led coalition. It’s keeping everyone guessing but closer to home the results are more definitive.
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick retained her Auckland Central Electorate seat in the preliminary results; with 46 percent of the vote and a 2831 vote lead over the second highest polling candidate, National’s Candace Kinser.
National won the party vote in the electorate with 27 percent, and Labour narrowly came in second with a 26 percent share of the vote.
Tāmaki Makaurau, the Māori electorate, was won by Te Pāti Māori incumbent Oriini Kaipara with 53 percent of the vote. Kaipara got 13,505 votes, more than double the support for either former Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni or Green’s candidate Florence Te Ohaere.
Oriini, speaking to Gulf News from Wellington on Tuesday as new MPs were welcomed to Parliament, joked that the atmosphere there is “a little weird”.
“Everyone’s being extra nice to each other, I’m seeing ACT people walking past me giving big smiles.”
Full story in this week’s Gulf News & Waiheke Weekender……. Out now
© Gulf News & Waiheke Weekender Ltd 2026
