Labour led New Zealand’s preliminary party-vote count by 3,650 votes, while National led in seats, with hundreds of thousands of special ballots still uncounted before official results due Nov. 27.
The New Zealand Electoral Commission’s Nov. 7 preliminary tally showed Labour with 710,330 party votes, or 29.36%, and National with 706,680, or 29.21%. The Commission truncates displayed percentages to two decimal places.
National held 42 seats to Labour’s 36. National won all 42 of its seats in electorates, while Labour’s total included 21 electorate seats and 15 list seats. ACT New Zealand had 13 seats and New Zealand First had 12, putting the three parties at 67 combined; the preliminary arithmetic does not confirm a governing agreement. EconoTimes previously covered the preliminary 67-seat total.
The difference between the vote leader and seat leader reflects New Zealand’s mixed-member proportional system: electorate results determine some seats, and party-vote totals shape the allocation of list seats. That arrangement can leave the party with fewer votes ahead in the preliminary seat count.
The election-night tally included 2,432,403 ordinary votes, including informal ballots; the Commission reported 2,418,565 valid party votes. It estimated that 399,365 special votes still needed checking, including 96,947 overseas and dictation votes, and said the estimate could change.
Reuters reported that special votes have typically favored left-leaning parties and may affect close races. Reuters also reported that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said, “It is too close to call,” while Labour leader Chris Hipkins said, “Tonight, New Zealand has spoken.”
The Commission scheduled publication of the official results for Nov. 27.
