Rangitata electorate
Rangitata covers much of the South Canterbury region south of the Rakaia river, including towns such as Ashburton, Timaru, and Methven. The seat is currently held by National’s James Meager, who was first elected with a margin of 22,792 votes in 2023. National won the party vote in 2023 with 44.9%, followed by Labour with 26%. The electorate works long hours, with 15.2% of the electorate’s population working between 50 and 59 hours a week - the highest percentage in New Zealand.
Rangitata candidates
Explore the candidates in your area
James Meager
Why I'm standing
Having served as your MP for the past three years, supporting constituents and advocating for Mid and South Canterbury in Wellington, I know what it takes to represent our region and deliver real results for our community. I'm focused on growing our region, creating more jobs and higher incomes, reducing the cost of living and making sure our region gets the investment we deserve.
About me
In 2023, I was proud to be elected as the Member of Parliament for Rangitata. I'm a local boy, born and raised in Timaru with roots in both Mid and South Canterbury. In 2026, I'm once again asking for your vote to elect me as your MP for Rangitata. I'm committed to making Mid and South Canterbury the safest, best and most prosperous place to live for every family who calls it home.
My priorities
- Deliver the new $140m Ashburton Bridge by the end of 2027, on time and on budget.
- Secure additional investment in our road, transport and logistics infrastructure network.
- Grow our region by creating more jobs and higher incomes in agriculture, tourism and manufacturing.
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 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.
