Māori Voters Shift Toward Greens in Latest Poll Ahead of Election

A Mata-Horizon poll of 1,089 Māori voters aged 18 and over shows the Green Party topping the party-vote preference on the Māori roll at 28%, narrowly ahead of Labour’s 27%, while Te Pāti Māori trails at 16%. On the general roll, Labour leads with 38% and the Greens hold 17%, but the Greens recorded the largest gain since the previous election, up 17 points among Māori-roll voters and 7 points among general-roll Māori. Commentators attribute the shift to the Greens’ aggressive messaging on the cost-of-living crisis and the impact of strategic voting campaigns by Te Pāti Māori.

The poll also reveals that more than a third of respondents have had to borrow or use buy-now-pay-later schemes for essentials, and nearly 40% could not cover an unexpected $500 expense without help. Analysts warn that the results signal pressure on Labour to propose stronger economic policies ahead of the 7 November election.