NZ Election 2023

Invercargill electorate

Invercargill is currently held by National's Penny Simmonds, who won by a narrow margin of 224 – one of the smallest margins in the country. In 2020, Labour won the greatest share of party votes in Invercargill – 48% to National's 30%. Since the seat was established in 1866 it has changed hands 22 times between members of more than six parties.

Invercargill candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Penny Simmonds

National Party

David Kowalewski

New Zealand Loyal

Scott Donaldson

ACT Party

Kevin Patrick O'Connell

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party

Liz Craig

Labour Party

Judith Terrill

Vision NZ

Judith Terrill

Vision NZ

Not currently in parliament

Why I'm standing

I am proud to be a sixth generation Southlander having also lived in a number of places in New Zealand so have a good overview of the people and communities that make up this beautiful country of New Zealand. I also have a wealth of experience working alongside people of all cultures. I am running for election as I believe New Zealand can be a thriving, industrious, caring country where everyone feels safe and happy.

About me

I care about people's wellbeing. I am committed to people being able to voice their need and being able to listen and be able to create positive change for them. I care about the 'one' and the 'many'. I have found people just want to be free to get on with their lives in a peaceful, uninterrupted manner that is of benefit to them, their families and everyone around them.

My priorities

  1. Advocate for Invercargill to be a tourist hub for ordinary kiwis as well as overseas visitors.
  2. Promote local industries to be able to sell their homegrown products direct to locals via markets.
  3. Fix infrastructure in the city and surrounding towns to make it appealing to visitors and locals.

Get across the policies, candidates and parties

Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2023 general election. Compare the parties, candidates and policies to see where you stand.

Policies

Compare the parties’ positions on the key issues this election

Candidates

See the electorate candidates running in your local area

Parties

Learn about each political party, its leaders and candidate list

Things to know...

Your two votes shape New Zealand’s next parliament. You need to be enrolled to vote.

Read explainer

  • Enrol to vote by Sunday 25 October

    You need to be enrolled before you can vote. You can enrol online at vote.nz.

  • Voting day is Saturday 7 November

    Head to your nearest voting place on the day, or vote early from 26 October.

  • You get two votes

    One for a party (the party vote) and one for a person in your area (the electorate vote).

  • Your party vote is the most powerful

    It decides how many seats each party gets in Parliament. That’s what Policy helps you figure out.