Waitākere electorate: 2026 candidates and forecast
General electorate. Held by National after the 2023 election. Voting closes on Saturday 7 November 2026.
Candidates with a realistic chance
| Candidate | Party | Chance of winning* |
|---|---|---|
| Vanushi Walters | Labour | 70% |
| Agnes Loheni | National | 25% |
| Steve Abel | Green | 5% |
Also standing: Bianca O'Keefe (Independent), Callum Sheridan (ACT), Mark Roach (Opportunity).
* Our starting chances when the party vote matches the poll average, before the simulation adds polling error. They come from the 2023 result, retirements and the electorate polls below. The forecast adjusts them to whichever poll you pick.
See Waitākere in the live forecastWhat we know
Recreated from parts of New Lynn (National by 1,013 votes in 2023) and Kelston (Labour by 4,396). New Lynn's National MP is not standing here. No notional result or 2026 poll.
Sources: Wikipedia: Waitākere electorate, 1News: The 15 seats that will decide this election.
Why Waitākere matters
Electorate seats decide who sits in Parliament, but the party vote decides how many seats each party gets. An electorate can still change the result: it can bring in a party that's under 5%, or add overhang seats that raise the number needed to govern. The seat forecast shows how often that happens.
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