NZ Election 2026

Taupō electorate

Taupō covers the eponymous lake and the towns surrounding it, while also stretching northward to also include towns such as Tokoroa, Putāruru, and Cambridge. The seat is held by National’s Louise Upston and who was re-elected in 2023 with a margin of 24,858. National won the party vote with 45% of the vote, followed by Labour with 22%. The electorate is the only general electorate to have never returned a list MP, though that looks set to change this election, with Labour’s Chris Flatt 20th on his party’s list.

Taupō candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Louise Upston

National Party

Sam Plummer

Opportunity Party

Celine Kearney

Green Party

Chris Flatt

Labour Party

Sam Plummer

Opportunity Party

Why I'm standing

NZ should be doing better. Our economy is no longer delivering for Kiwis and our politicians are engaged in short-term, tit-for-tat thinking. We need fresh thinking and a long-term vision to take us through the next 30 years.

About me

I've worked in the NZ public and private sectors and in international development, so I've experienced many perspectives. I believe that we need to listen to each other to be able to build consensus on a common way forward.

My priorities

  1. Address the cost-of-living crisis by strengthening the economy and improving competition.
  2. Increase local renewable energy production to boost the local economy and reduce electricity costs.
  3. Protect our environment for the benefit of our next generations.

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.