Te Pāti Māori launches election campaign asking supporters to split their vote
Te Pāti Māori has launched its 2026 election campaign in Gisborne, asking supporters to vote for the party's candidates in Māori electorates while giving their party vote to other opposition parties.
Te Pāti Māori held its campaign launch at Te Poho o Rāwiri Marae in Gisborne on Sunday, unveiling a strategy focused entirely on winning candidate votes in the Māori electorates. The party is urging supporters to give their electorate votes to Te Pāti Māori candidates while directing their party votes to other opposition parties, using last year's Tāmaki Makaurau by-election as proof the tactic can work. The strategy aims to create an overhang—extra parliamentary seats—that could help bring about a change of government. However, political scientists and Labour have raised concerns that deliberately engineering an overhang risks undermining public confidence in the Māori seats and MMP itself.
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What outlets are saying
RNZ
Te Pāti Māori reveals election strategy as campaign launches in Gisborne
Party lays out its strategy, asking supporters for candidate votes to "bring this government to its knees".
1News
Te Pāti Māori reveals election strategy as campaign launches in Gisborne
Candidates, the party executive and supporters gathered at Te Poho o Rāwiri Marae in Gisborne for the formal launch of the party's election campaign on Sunday.
NZ Herald
Election 2026: Te Pāti Māori to campaign for candidate vote only
The party held its campaign launch event in Gisborne.
Stuff
Te Pāti Māori reveals election strategy as campaign launches in Gisborne
Party lays out its strategy, asking supporters for candidate votes to "bring this government to its knees".
Newsroom
In Waiariki, Māori candidates say lives are on the line this election
Candidates vying to represent Waiariki say coalition Govt must be ousted if Māori have any hope of holding on to the progress they’ve made in Parliament
Newsroom
Te Pāti Māori reveals electorate-first election strategy as campaign launches
Te Pāti Māori is urging voters to put its electorate candidates into Parliament and make their own decision on who to endorse for party vote The post Te Pāti Māori reveals electorate-first election strategy as campaign launches appeared first on…
The Spinoff
Te Pāti Māori’s election pitch: candidate vote only
At its campaign launch, the party said it was the only way to both grow Māori representation in parliament and help defeat the government, writes Henry Oliver in today’s excerpt from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each…
NZ Herald
Election 2026: Te Pāti Māori launches election campaign at Gisborne marae
Te Pāti Māori's Gisborne launch is the first party launch in Tairāwhiti.
Newstalk ZB
Election 2026: Te Pāti Māori launches election campaign at Gisborne marae
Haley Maxwell is “confident” in her campaign for the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti seat as Te Pāti Māori officially launched its 2026 election campaign in Gisborne.
The Spinoff
Is Te Pāti Māori’s candidate-only strategy risking our whole electoral system?
Concerns have been raised about what impact the party’s strategy could have on the future of both the Maori seats and MMP itself, writes Henry Oliver in today’s excerpt from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday,…
The Spinoff
Te Pāti Māori will be in risky territory if it tries to engineer an overhang
Exploitation of the overhang loophole has always been possible, but no party has tried it because of how voters are likely to react. Electoral systems don’t only have rules, they also have norms: general understandings that encourage fairness between election…
The Spinoff
There are more Māori on the Māori roll than ever. Will they turn out to vote?
The Māori roll is growing, stoked both by new enrolments and voters switching from the general roll. Ātea editor Liam Rātana explores what’s behind the increase and how it could impact the election. There are now almost 310,000 Māori on…
Newsroom
Te Pāti Māori’s hidden path to major leverage
Analysis: Te Pāti Māori could further swell its influence if the party doesn't submit a list at all for the upcoming election The post Te Pāti Māori’s hidden path to major leverage appeared first on Newsroom .