Seymour Sets Conditions for Brash's Vote-Splitting Campaign
Published
A report from the Sunday Star Times says that ACT leader David Seymour asked for two electorates to be excluded from Don Brash's vote-splitting campaign before he agreed to it. The story was highlighted in a news digest dated 1 November 2026, and it is one of the top political stories of the day.
In New Zealand's mixed-member proportional (MMP) system, each voter casts two votes. The first is the electorate vote, which chooses a local Member of Parliament. The second is the party vote, which decides how many seats each party receives in Parliament. Vote-splitting means choosing one party for the electorate vote and a different party for the party vote. Campaigns that encourage this behaviour can affect the results for smaller parties, which depend on party votes to win seats.
The report suggests that the arrangement was not automatic. According to the summary, Mr Seymour made his approval of the campaign conditional on the exemption of two electorates. The digest does not give the names of these electorates or explain the reasons behind the request, so readers should look for the full article for more details.
The story shows how negotiations between parties can shape election strategies in New Zealand. Because the details are still limited, it is not yet clear how the arrangement will work in practice or what effect it may have on the vote. Further reporting will probably provide more information about the agreement and its possible impact.
Sources: LinkedIn
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