Advance vote results: why they're counted first and what they tell you
Advance votes are the first results released on election night. Here's how they're counted, how big they are in 2026, and why they can lean differently from the final result.
In this guide
Advance votes are the votes cast before election day, at voting places that open in the two weeks before. They've become the main way New Zealanders vote, and they're the first results released on election night.
If you searched for "advance poll results", this is what you're after. There are no official results from advance voting before 7pm on election day. There are daily turnout figures, though, and once voting closes the advance vote count comes out first.
Quick answer
- Advance voting for 2026 ran from 26 October to 6 November.
- Advance votes are counted first and are expected in the first batch of results around 7:30pm on 7 November.
- The Electoral Commission publishes how many people have voted early each day, but not who they voted for.
- Advance votes don't always match the final result. They're a big sample, but not a random one.
How many people vote early?
Advance voting has grown fast over the past decade.
Advance votes at the last three elections
- 20171,240,740
- 20201,976,996
- 20231,368,830
In 2026 the early pace has been higher again. In the first three days of advance voting, 309,876 people voted, compared with 235,515 at the same point in 2023. By the final week, The Press reported that almost a million people had already voted, well ahead of last time.
First three days of advance voting
- 2023235,515
- 2026309,876
Why advance votes are counted first
Advance votes are cast across two weeks, so they're already in secure storage when election day arrives. They can be counted earlier on election day in sealed rooms, by staff who can't leave or communicate until voting closes. That means they're ready to publish soon after 7pm.
Election day votes, by contrast, are counted at each voting place after it closes, so they take longer.
What advance votes can tell you
The first advance vote results are a huge sample, often more than a million votes. That gives you some real information.
- The broad shape. If one party has a big lead in advance votes, it's very likely to finish first.
- Turnout. A big advance vote suggests healthy overall turnout.
- Electorate trends. Advance votes are reported by electorate, so you can see early leads in individual seats.
What advance votes can't tell you
They also have limits worth knowing.
- Different people vote early. Who votes early varies with age, work patterns and how settled people are on their choice. Those groups don't all lean the same way.
- Election day voters can swing it. In close races, the election day vote can narrow or widen a lead.
- Special votes aren't included. Advance votes cast as special votes, for example by people voting outside their electorate, are counted later.
Rule of thumb: treat the first advance vote numbers as a strong hint, not a result. Wait until at least half the voting places have reported before calling a close seat.
How advance votes compare with the final result
At recent elections, parties' shares have shifted between the first advance results and the final count by up to a couple of points. That's enough to change a seat or two, and occasionally enough to change who can form a government. Our guide to why early results change walks through what happened in 2017, 2020 and 2023.
Advance voting turnout figures to watch
During the advance voting period, the Electoral Commission publishes daily numbers. When reading them:
- Compare like with like. Compare the same day of advance voting, not the same calendar date, because the period starts on a different day each election.
- Remember the calendar. 2020 had an unusually long advance period and pandemic conditions, which pushed advance voting to a record.
- Don't read party support into turnout. High advance turnout doesn't favour any particular party.
Questions and answers
Are there advance poll results before election day?
No. Votes aren't counted or released before voting closes at 7pm on election day. The Electoral Commission publishes daily figures on how many people voted early, but not how they voted.
When are advance votes counted?
Advance votes can be counted on election day in secure conditions, so they're ready to release first. The Electoral Commission expects first results around 7:30pm.
How many advance votes were there in 2023?
1,368,830 ordinary advance votes, about 61% of ordinary votes. The record is 2020, with 1,976,996 advance votes.
Do advance votes favour one party?
Not consistently. Who votes early changes from election to election. Treat early leads with caution until more votes are counted.
Is my advance vote counted if I voted outside my electorate?
Yes, but as a special vote, which is counted after election night and included in the official result.
Sources
- Electoral Commission: 2026 advance voting dates and daily statistics.
- 2023 advance votes, official results.
- 2023 preliminary results release: advance vote share.
- The rise and rise of advance voting, The Spinoff: 2020 advance votes.
- The Press: 2026 advance voting pace.
This guide is general information about New Zealand elections, checked against the sources linked above on 3 November 2026. For anything about your own enrolment or vote, check vote.nz or call the Electoral Commission on 0800 36 76 56.
Keep reading
Advance voting 2026: dates, where to vote and the record early turnout
Advance voting for New Zealand's 2026 election runs from 26 October to 6 November. Here's how it works, where to vote early, and how this year's turnout compares.
Why early election results can mislead: lessons from 2017, 2020 and 2023
Seat totals have changed after election night at each of the last three New Zealand elections. Here's what moved, why it happens, and how to avoid being fooled on 7 November.
NZ election 2026 live results: when, where and how the vote count comes in
Live results for New Zealand's 2026 election start at 7pm on Saturday 7 November. Here's when each part of the vote count lands, where to follow it, and how to read it.