Candidates in the 2026 New Zealand general election by electorate

New Zealand political candidates in the MMP era

Year	Party list	Candidates
1996	party lists	by electorate
1999	party lists	by electorate
2002	party lists	by electorate
2005	party lists	by electorate
2008	party lists	by electorate
2011	party lists	by electorate
2014	party lists	by electorate
2017	party lists	by electorate
2020	party lists	by electorate
2023	party lists	by electorate
2026	party lists	by electorate

This page lists candidates contesting electorates in the 2026 New Zealand general election.

General electorates

Botany

2026 general election: Botany
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Christopher Luxon			[1]

Christchurch Central

2026 general election: Christchurch Central
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
Retiring incumbents and withdrawn candidates
	Labour	Duncan Webb			[2]

East Cape

2026 general election: East Cape
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Dana Kirkpatrick			[3]
	Labour	Jo Luxton	MP for Rangitata 2020–2023		[4]

Hutt South

2026 general election: Hutt South
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Chris Bishop			[1]

Ilam

2026 general election: Ilam
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Hamish Campbell			[5]

Kapiti

2026 general election: Kapiti
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Tim Costley			[6]
	Labour	Sophie Handford			[7]

Kenepuru

2026 general election: Kenepuru
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Labour	Barbara Edmonds			[8]

Maungakiekie

2026 general election: Maungakiekie
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Labour	Priyanca Radhakrishnan			[9]

Mount Maunganui

2026 general election: Mount Maunganui
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Tom Rutherford			[10]

Mount Roskill

2026 general election: Mount Roskill
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Labour	Michael Wood	MP for Mount Roskill 2016–2023		[11]

Napier

2026 general election: Napier
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Labour	Alex Hedley			[12]

Nelson

2026 general election: Nelson
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Labour	Rachel Boyack			[13]
	National	Blair Cameron	Contested electorate in 2023		[14]

New Plymouth

2026 general election: New Plymouth
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	David MacLeod			[15]

Pakuranga

2026 general election: Pakuranga
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Simeon Brown			[16]

Palmerston North

2026 general election: Palmerston North
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Ankit Bansal	Contested electorate in 2023		[17]

Selwyn

2026 general election: Selwyn
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Independent	Zoran Rakovic			[18]

Tukituki

2026 general election: Tukituki
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Catherine Wedd			[19]

Wairarapa

2026 general election: Wairarapa
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Labour	Kieran McAnulty			[20]

Wellington Bays

2026 general election: Wellington Bays
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Green	Julie Anne Genter			[21]
	Labour	Craig Renney			[22]

Wellington North

2026 general election: Wellington North
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Green	Tamatha Paul			[23]
	Labour	Ayesha Verrall			[24]

Whanganui

2026 general election: Whanganui
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Carl Bates			[1]

Whangārei

2026 general election: Whangārei
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Labour	Gary Payinda			[25]

Wigram

2026 general election: Wigram
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	National	Tracy Summerfield	Contested electorate in 2023		[26]
	Labour	Dominic Yanzick			[27]
Retiring incumbents and withdrawn candidates
	Labour	Megan Woods	Contesting list only		[28]

Māori electorates

Ikaroa-Rāwhiti

2026 general election: Ikaroa-Rāwhiti
Notes:		Blue background  denotes an incumbent.  Pink background  denotes a current list MP.  Yellow background  denotes a retiring MP.
Party		Candidate	Notes	List #	Source
	Te Pāti Māori	Haley Maxwell			[29]

References

1. Tweed, Mike (5 November 2025). "Elections 2026: Whanganui MP Carl Bates reselected as National's electoral candidate". New Zealand Herald.
2. McConnell, Glenn (21 October 2025). "Labour's Duncan Webb to stand down next year". Stuff.
3. "East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick confirmed as National Party's 2026 East Cape candidate". New Zealand Herald. 24 November 2025.
4. "Jo Luxton to contest East Cape for Labour with cost of living focus". The Gisborne Herald. New Zealand Herald. 9 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
5. Campbell, Hamish (5 December 2025). "Hamish Campbell – December Update". New Zealand National Party.
6. "Tim Costley confirms for new Kapiti electorate". kcnews.co.nz. 5 December 2025.
7. Whyte, Anna (19 November 2025). "Climate activist turned councillor named as Labour's Kāpiti candidate". The Post .
8. "Mana MP chosen as Labour's candidate for new Kenepuru electorate". Scoop.co.nz. 23 November 2025.
9. "Priyanca Radhakrishnan outlines priority list if elected again". The Indian Weekender. 5 December 2025.
10. Morrell, Kaitlyn (23 October 2025). "2026 election: Tom Rutherford National Party candidate for Mount Maunganui electorate". New Zealand Herald .
11. "Former MP Michael Wood announces bid to return to politics". 1News. 21 November 2025.
12. Doug Laing (15 December 2025). "Election 2026: Labour candidate for Napier electorate in next year's general election named". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
13. Townshend, Katie (18 November 2025). "Incumbent MP vowing to keep Nelson in the conversation as she vies for a third term". The Press.
14. "Blair Cameron Selected As National's Candidate In Nelson". Scoop.co.nz. 8 November 2025.
15. "National Party confirm David MacLeod as NP candidate". The Post. 9 October 2025.
16. Brown, Simeon (29 November 2025). "Simeon Says — 29 November 2025". New Zealand National Party.
17. "Ankit Bansal Selected As National's Candidate In Palmerston North". Scoop.co.nz. 29 November 2025.
18. "Zoran Rakovic announces independent run for Selwyn seat". Malvernnews.co.nz. 5 December 2025. p. 10.
19. "Catherine Wedd confirmed as National's Tukituki candidate for 2026 election". Hawke's Bay Today. 8 December 2025. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
20. Cooper, Lucy (25 November 2025). "Kieran McAnulty confirmed as Labour's candidate for Wairarapa electorate in 2026". The Post.
21. "Julie Anne Genter confirms plans to be first Wellington Bays MP". The Post. 28 November 2025.
22. "Labour selects CTU economist Craig Renney as Wellington Bays candidate". Radio New Zealand . 23 November 2025.
23. Hunt, Tom (27 November 2025). "Wellington Central Green MP Tamatha Paul to contest Wellington North". The Post.
24. Whyte, Anna (23 November 2025). "Labour confirms Ayesha Verrall as candidate for Wellington North electorate". The Post.
25. "Labour selects Dr Gary Payinda to take on former Health Minister Dr Shane Reti". New Zealand Herald . 18 November 2025.
26. "Tracy Summerfield Selected As National's Candidate In Wigram". Scoop.co.nz. 18 November 2025.
27. Cooke, Henry (5 December 2025). "Labour's candidate for once-safe seat of Wigram revealed". The Press. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
28. "Senior Labour MP won't contest electorate, will stand on list in 2026". 1News. 3 August 2025.
29. Palmer, Russell (28 July 2025). "Te Pāti Māori announces Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidate". Radio New Zealand .