NZ Election 2026

Nelson electorate

Nelson covers the area around the city of Nelson, splitting the Tasman region with the West Coast electorate. Alongside the city of Nelson, the electorate also covers the towns of Richmond, Hope, and Cable Bay. The seat is held by Labour’s Rachel Boyack, who was first elected in 2020 and narrowly won re-election by 26 votes in 2023, with a total of 17,541. National won the party vote with 32%, followed by Labour on 29%. The electorate is the only one which has existed continuously in every election since New Zealand’s first parliamentary election in 1851.

Nelson candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Jodie Kuntzsch

Opportunity Party

Chris Baillie

ACT Party

Rohan O'Neill-Stevens

Green Party

Rachel Boyack

Labour Party

Blair Cameron

National Party

Bruce Dyer

Progressive Aotearoa New Zealand

Rohan O'Neill-Stevens

Green Party

Why I'm standing

Having spent years working alongside our community to deliver practical results, including as a councillor and deputy mayor, I know the huge potential our community has. But for too many Nelsonians, life is getting harder. I'm standing because I know that we deserve better. Together we can invest in our communities, restore our nature, build an economy that works for working people, and ensure everyone has what they need to live a good life.

About me

Throughout my service to our community, I've demonstrated the ability to deliver real change for Nelsonians. I've built trusted relationships across our region and across traditional political divides and demonstrated the tangible outcomes values-led leadership can bring. Together we've improved public transport with faster, more frequent buses, led record investments in infrastructure, supported more affordable housing, and taken real action to protect our nature and climate. It's those skills and relationships I'll bring to Parliament.

My priorities

  1. Affordable Lives - taxing the rich and lowering your power, grocery, transport and other bills.
  2. Healthy Nature - ensuring you can drink, swim, and fish in our oceans and rivers.
  3. Decisions in your hands - making sure your voice is heard and felt across government.

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

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.