2026 election: 17 parties and 530 candidates ahead of 7 November

Election day for the 2026 New Zealand general election is 7 November. Seventeen registered political parties will contest the election, with 530 candidates standing, according to elections.nz.

Some candidates have been named in local races. The New Zealand Herald reports that Emma Chatterton is standing in Papakura and Matthew Paul is standing in Port Waikato.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters also featured in a sharp exchange on RNZ's Morning Report in October. Peters and the programme's host, John Campbell, clashed over a United Nations document, according to RNZ. Speaking on the programme, Peters rejected the idea that not signing up was "performative".

RNZ Political Editor Jo Moir and Deputy Editor Craig McCulloch are leading the broadcaster's campaign coverage through to election day.