NZ Election 2026

West Coast-Tasman electorate

West Coast-Tasman stretches down almost the entirety of the South Island’s West Coast, starting from the Tasman region at Motueka, going past Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika, before finishing at Haast. The seat is held by National’s Maureen Pugh, a list MP who became an electorate MP in the 2023 election, but is retiring in 2026. Pugh was elected with a margin of 13,317 in 2023. National won the party vote in 2023 with 33% of the vote, followed by Labour with 24%. Geographically, it is the largest electorate in the country.

West Coast-Tasman candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Jamie Cleine

NZ First

Kevin Rooke

Progressive Aotearoa New Zealand

Sara Dyatlova–Murphy

Alliance Party

Andrew Beaumont

Green Party

Sue Grey

NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party

Cindie Uddstrom

Opportunity Party

Janelle Hocking

ACT Party

Katie Milne

National Party

Alexander Hislop

New Zealand Loyal

Rory Paterson

Labour Party

Janelle Hocking

ACT Party

Why I'm standing

I'm running because I've had enough of watching common sense lose to process. As a rural business owner, I know how frustrating unnecessary bureaucracy, waste and poor decision-making can be. I want to bring a practical, real-world perspective to Parliament and make sure my community has a strong voice. I believe government should focus on what matters, trust people to get on with things, listen before it talks, and actually get things done.

About me

I'd make a good representative because I'm practical, approachable and prepared to listen. I've built businesses, raised a family and spent years working with people from all walks of life. I understand the pressures households and businesses face because I've experienced them myself. I won't pretend to have all the answers, but I will ask the hard questions, challenge unnecessary bureaucracy and work constructively to get better outcomes for my community and New Zealand.

My priorities

  1. Unlock our resources, create jobs, attract investment and make our electorate NZ's resource hub.
  2. Cut red tape and compliance costs so local businesses, farmers and communities can get on with it.
  3. Fix Knights Point permanently so road closures don't keep cutting off the Coast and tourism.

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.