NZ Election 2026

Te Tai Tonga electorate

Te Tai Tonga is a Māori electorate currently held by Labour's Rino Tirikatene, who won comfortably with a margin of 6,855. In 2020, Labour won the greatest share of party votes in Te Tai Tonga – 59% to Green's 12%. Te Tai Tonga is the biggest electorate in the country and includes all of Te Waipounamu, Rakiura, and Rēkohu/Wharekauri.

Te Tai Tonga candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Lisa Marie Murch

Te Pāti Māori

Tania Henare

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party

Tākuta Ferris

Independent

Mananui Ramsden

Labour Party

Lisa Te Morenga

Green Party

Lisa Marie Murch

Te Pāti Māori

Why I'm standing

I am standing because Te Tai Tonga deserves a voice for the people. I want to bring those voices into Parliament and make sure decisions are made with our whānau, not done to them. For me this is about our mokpuna, and about getting practical things moving for our communities.

About me

What I can offer is my connection to communities, my commitment to whānau and the courage to speak up when our people are being ignored. I am ready to listen, do the work and stay accountable to the whānau who put me there.

My priorities

  1. We will protect and entrench Te Tiriti, and progress constitutional transformation.
  2. We will ensure that whānau have access to secure housing, affordable kai, power, and health services.
  3. We will put more money in the pockets of low- and middle-income workers by changing the tax system.

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.