By Lucy Craymer
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealanders go to the polls on Saturday in a general election that could see Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continue Labour’s reign for another three years or a shift to the conservatives led by Christopher Luxon.
Labour Party leader Hipkins, 45, and National Party leader Luxon, 53, are facing off to form the country’s 54rd parliament.
Doors to polling booths open at 9 a.m. (2000 GMT on Friday), though over a million voters have already cast their votes.
Restrictions are in place on what news media can report about the race until polls close at 7 p.m. on Saturday, after which the Electoral Commission is expected to begin releasing preliminary results.
Special votes, including ballots from New Zealanders overseas and those who vote outside their home constituencies, will only be released on Nov. 3.
New Zealand switched to a mixed member proportional system in 1996. In the 2023 election a party or coalition needs 61 of Parliament’s 120 seats – usually about 48% of the vote – to form a government. There will be a by-election in November that will add an extra seat.
This means minor parties often play an influential role in determining which major party governs.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Stephen Coates)
