Election 2026: Māori vote to put trust in Te Pāti Māori and Labour
Te Pāti Māori has secured five of the seven Māori electorate seats in the 2026 New Zealand election following a strategic voting campaign. While the party saw success in these seats, the Labour Party maintained the highest party vote across all seven Māori electorates.
Why it matters
This result highlights the effectiveness of strategic voting and the evolving political landscape regarding indigenous representation in New Zealand's parliament.
Te Pāti Māori’s push for strategic voting among its supporters has worked, with early results showing that the party has won five of the seven Māori electorate seats – and resounding support for the Labour Party.
Early last month, Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi target="_self" rel="" title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-te-pati-maori-announces-one-person-party-list-for-2026-election/LJI342HMXRFUDFCBEDSZ36GMHI/">encouraged voters to give their electorate votes to Te Pāti Māori candidates, but their party vote to Labour or the Greens.
The release of a party list with just one candidate more than the seven Māori seats available was proof they were “putting our money where our mouth is”, Waititi said at the time.
“Our strategy is clear. We want more Māori in Parliament, a one-term Government and an independent Māori voice that is accountable to our people,” he said.
Also covering this story
8 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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