Key urges Epsom voters to back Goldsmith over Seymour
Former National leader Sir John Key has urged Epsom voters to give their electorate vote to National's Paul Goldsmith rather than to ACT's David Seymour, who has held the seat since 2014. Key spoke during National's election launch.
Key said that 15 years ago it made sense for Epsom voters to give their electorate vote to Seymour and their party vote to National. He now asks Epsom voters to give their electorate vote to Goldsmith while still giving their party vote to National. Goldsmith has said that Epsom voters no longer need to back Seymour. Goldsmith currently holds 10 portfolios, or areas of ministerial responsibility, in the government.
Under the mixed-member proportional (MMP) system, voters cast two votes. The electorate vote chooses a local MP, and the party vote determines each party's share of seats in Parliament.
National leader Christopher Luxon said he "disagrees completely" with the overhang strategy and urged voters to give both votes to National. He said the strategy was confusing messaging that risks Labour coming through and forming a coalition government.
The overhang strategy encourages supporters of the parties on the right to give their electorate vote to National and their party vote to ACT or New Zealand First. The aim is to create an overhang, which gives a party extra seats beyond what its party vote alone would bring. Separate overhang campaigns are being pushed by billionaire Harry Mowbray and by Reality Check Radio. Former ACT and National leader Don Brash wrote a full-page Reality Check Radio advert backing the strategy.
ACT and New Zealand First both confirmed on Friday that they had signed off on the advert, as electoral law requires.
ACT's Epsom candidate, Paul Henry, described National's change of stance on strategic voting as "two-faced" and "arrogant". New Zealand First leader Winston Peters warned that a party vote for National would be a wasted vote.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he would be open to discussions about constitutional reform to ensure overhangs do not occur.
