New Zealand election enters final week
The gist
Advance voting hit 913,762 in New Zealand's first seven days, up from 712,192 in 2023.
Vote-splitting ads approved by Act and NZ First have divided the centre-right bloc.
How it unfolded
- Oct 26, 2026 – Nov 1, 2026913,762 votes were cast in the first seven days of advance voting, compared with 712,192 in the equivalent period in 2023 — about 24 percent of enrolled voters, up from 19 percent.
- Oct 31, 2026More than 190,000 votes were issued, the busiest day of advance voting so far. National leader Christopher Luxon spoke to media after walking through Howick Village Market in Auckland.
- Oct 31, 2026It emerged that advertisements in the name of Don Brash, placed by Reality Check Radio, ran earlier in the week; Act and NZ First confirmed to the Herald they gave approval.