Napier electorate
Napier covers much of the land surrounding the Ngaruroro River and Wairoa district, including the towns of Napier, Wairoa, and Mahia. The electorate is held by National’s Katie Nimon, who was first elected in 2023 with a margin of 21,344 votes. National also won the party vote with 41% of the vote, followed by Labour with 26%. The electorate’s very first MP, Henry Powning Stark, holds the record for the shortest time in parliament: he was elected on 19 February 1861 and resigned on 27 April 1861, lasting 67 days.
Napier candidates
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Alex Hedley
Why I'm standing
My motivation comes from a career spent on the frontlines of health and advocacy, listening to people when they need help most. Across Napier and Wairoa, I see whānau struggling with rising costs and unemployment, unaffordable housing and poor access to healthcare. Better is possible for our region, and I'm ready to deliver that change.
About me
With a decade as a doctor in our hospital and community, I've been there when people faced their toughest moments, listening, understanding, and taking action. Beyond medicine, as Vice President of the NZRDA union and through health sector governance, I've proven my commitment to standing up for workers and driving systemic change. I bring deep local roots, frontline experience, and a strong track record of advocacy to deliver the leadership our electorate deserves.
My priorities
- Advocate for better health services and fix the systemic issues causing overnight service closures.
- Reduce the cost of living with free doctor visits & prescriptions, $10 bus fare cap and solar power.
- Get social housing projects underway so everyone can have a secure home.
Get across the policies, candidates and parties
Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2026 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
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Parties
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Things to know...
Your two votes shape New Zealand’s next parliament. You need to be enrolled to vote.
Read explainerEnrol 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.
