Mike Bain/cvnznews.com
Former Prime Minister Sir John Key has entered the final week of the election campaign with a direct message to Epsom voters: back National’s Paul Goldsmith rather than ACT.
In a video released alongside Goldsmith, Key argued that ACT no longer needs the Epsom electorate to secure representation in Parliament, while suggesting Goldsmith’s political future could depend on winning the seat.
The intervention marks a significant shift from the long-standing strategy that saw many National supporters in Epsom give their electorate vote to ACT while casting their party vote for National. The arrangement helped ACT maintain a parliamentary presence even when its nationwide support was relatively low.
This election, however, National is asking supporters to rally behind Goldsmith, who faces an uncertain path back to Parliament through the party list. Recent polling has placed National at around 28 percent support, raising concerns that some lower-ranked candidates could miss out if the party underperforms on election night.
ACT has pushed back against the argument, with party supporters continuing to urge voters to back ACT both in Epsom and with their party vote. The party argues a stronger ACT presence would strengthen any future centre-right coalition government and provide a greater counterbalance within it.
The contest highlights the strategic calculations often at play in New Zealand’s MMP electoral system, where electorate and party votes can produce very different outcomes.
With less than a week until Election Day, Epsom once again finds itself at the centre of a debate that reaches far beyond the boundaries of the Auckland electorate. The result could influence not only which candidates enter Parliament, but also the balance of power within any future governing coalition.
For voters, the choice comes down to competing views of how best to support a centre-right government: by strengthening National’s numbers through Goldsmith, or by boosting ACT’s influence through a stronger party vote.
As the campaign enters its final days, both parties are making their case, leaving Epsom voters with a decision that could carry significance well beyond their local electorate.
