Early voting for 2026 election exceeds 2023 levels

Friday 30 October 2026 · 2 outlets · 3 reports · updated Sat 31 Oct, 4:00am

In this story Electoral Commission

More than 309,000 early votes were cast in the first three days of voting, a 31.6% increase compared to the 2023 election. Concerns remain regarding new enrolment rules, while nearly 120,000 New Zealanders living overseas are registered to vote.

How they headlined it

21h

Fri 5:59amSat 4am

1. NZ HeraldFri 30 Oct, 5:59am

   Election 2026: Early voting soars above 2023 levels, but questions linger over new rules (opens in new tab)

   • Election 2026 live updates: Early voting soars above 2023 levels (opens in new tab) Fri 30 Oct, 6:52am
2. The PostSat 31 Oct, 4:00am

   The hidden force that could decide the 2026 election (opens in new tab)