General Election to be held on November 7

The 2026 General Election will be held on Saturday, November 7, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced.

Luxon said confirming the election date early in the year would give voters clarity and certainty.

“Continuing the recent tradition of announcing the election date early in the year ensures New Zealanders have certainty,” he said.

“Kiwis can also have certainty that our Government will continue governing throughout the year to deliver on our plan to fix the basics and build the future.”

Luxon said the past two years had involved significant work to reverse what he described as economic decline.

“When we took office, the country was going in the wrong direction, and it’s taken a lot of hard work in the last two years to start turning things around,” he said.

He pointed to falling inflation and interest rates, saying inflation had dropped from more than 7 per cent under Labour to about 3 per cent, easing pressure on homeowners.

Luxon said the economy was strengthening, with rising business and consumer confidence, growth in building and manufacturing, and strong export performance.

“Along with the Free Trade Agreement with India, these results show that with a National-led Government, Kiwis can look forward to more prosperity and opportunity, higher wages, lower mortgage costs, and a brighter future for themselves, their children, and grandchildren,” he said.

He also highlighted law and order and education outcomes, saying police were more visible on the beat, there were 38,000 fewer victims of crime, youth offending was down 16 per cent, and ram raids had fallen by 85 per cent.

In education, Luxon said the Government’s focus on core learning had lifted the proportion of new entrants achieving expected reading levels from 36 per cent to 58 per cent.

“Continuing to deliver on our plan to fix the basics and build the future so that Kiwis around the country get more results like these will remain our focus in the lead up to the election later this year,” he said.

The Prime Minister has advised Governor‑General of the election date.

Under the proposed timetable, Parliament is expected to rise on September 24, with dissolution on October 1. Writ day will be October 4, nominations will close at noon on October 8, and advance voting will begin on October 26.

The final day for the return of the writ is scheduled for December 3.