New Zealanders end vote on final day of tight elections
Early results after polls closed in New Zealand show the race is too close to call. The country has strict election-day laws on political reporting to prevent voters from being swayed at the last minute.
On the final day of New Zealand's tight general elections, voters cast their ballots, grappling with concerns over the rising cost of living and broader economic woes. Preliminary counts, released after polls closed at 7 p.m. local time, indicated the ruling center-right National Party securing nearly 31% of the vote and the opposition Labour Party close behind with almost 30%.
The election, which began on October 26, limited media coverage and political campaigning to the final day. As of Thursday, nearly 1.7 million of the country's 3.8 million eligible voters had already submitted their ballots, according to the electoral commission. Final results are anticipated on November 27. Among the leading candidates are Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of the National Party and Chris Hipkins of the Labour Party.
An opinion poll released on Friday suggested Labour had a slight edge with 30% of the vote, closely followed by the National Party, but the contest was deemed too close to predict with certainty. Neither party is expected to secure a majority of seats in parliament. A minor centrist party, the Opportunity Party, has also polled above 5%, the minimum required to win seats without winning individual electoral contests.
New Zealand operates under a mixed-member proportional system, necessitating voters to select both a party and a local candidate. Electorate winners earn a seat in parliament, with the country typically electing 120 representatives. However, an "overhang" situation may result in additional lawmakers being seated based on the top-ranked candidates from each party's national vote.
The election was taking place amidst concerns over high prices for essential goods and the country's highest unemployment rate in over a decade.
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