In this guide
Every comparison you'll hear on election night 2026, "up on last time", "a gain", "a swing", is measured against 14 October 2023. Here's what happened at that election, in numbers.
Quick answer
- Election day: Saturday 14 October 2023.
- Largest party: National, 38.1% of the party vote and 48 seats.
- Parliament: 122 seats, including two overhang seats, then 123 after the Port Waikato by-election.
- Government: National, ACT and NZ First coalition, sworn in on 27 November 2023.
- Turnout: 78.2% of enrolled voters, down from 82.2% in 2020.
The official result
| Party | Party vote | Electorates | List | Total seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | 38.1% | 43 | 5 | 48 |
| Labour | 26.9% | 17 | 17 | 34 |
| Green | 11.6% | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| ACT | 8.6% | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| NZ First | 6.1% | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3.1% | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Opportunity | 2.2% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The 2023 Parliament: 122 seats
- National
- Labour
- Green
- ACT
- NZ First
- Te Pāti Māori / Māori Party
The big shifts from 2020
- Labour fell from 50.0% and 65 seats to 26.9% and 34 seats.
- National rose from 33 seats to 48.
- The Greens had their best result, 15 seats, including three electorates.
- NZ First returned to Parliament after missing out in 2020.
- Te Pāti Māori won six of the seven Māori electorates.
How special votes changed it
On election night, National had 50 seats and ACT 11: 61 of 121, a bare majority. Then 603,257 special votes, 20.9% of all votes, were counted.
Seats on election night vs the official result
2023
- National 50 → 48
- Green 14 → 15
- Te Pāti Māori 4 → 6
2020
- Labour 64 → 65
- National 35 → 33
- Māori Party 1 → 2
2017
- National 58 → 56
- Labour 45 → 46
- Green 7 → 8
National fell to 48, the Greens rose to 15 and Te Pāti Māori to 6. With two overhang seats, Parliament had 122 seats and 62 was a majority. National and ACT had 59, so they needed NZ First. Read why early results change.
Port Waikato
A candidate in Port Waikato died shortly before the election, so the electorate vote there was cancelled and held as a by-election on 25 November 2023. Party votes in Port Waikato still counted. National won the by-election, adding a 49th National seat and taking Parliament to 123.
Forming the government
Coalition agreements between National, ACT and NZ First were signed on 24 November 2023, and ministers were sworn in on 27 November, 44 days after election day. Christopher Luxon became Prime Minister.
Days from election day to a sworn-in government
- 199665 days
- 201733 days
- 202344 days
Why 2023 matters on election night 2026
- It's the baseline. "Gains" and "losses" are measured against these results.
- Boundaries changed. Many 2026 electorates don't match 2023 ones, so comparisons use estimates. See the boundary changes.
- Specials mattered. 2023 showed how a seat or two can move after election night.
- Overhang mattered. It raised the majority line from 61 to 62.
Questions and answers
Who won the 2023 NZ election?
National won the most seats, 48, and formed a coalition government with ACT and NZ First. Christopher Luxon became Prime Minister.
How many seats did each party win in 2023?
National 48, Labour 34, Green 15, ACT 11, NZ First 8 and Te Pāti Māori 6, in a 122-seat Parliament.
What was turnout in 2023?
78.2% of enrolled voters, with 2,883,412 votes cast.
Why did Parliament have 123 MPs?
Te Pāti Māori won two more electorates than its party vote entitled it to, making 122 seats. National then won the Port Waikato by-election, adding one more.
Sources
- 2023 New Zealand general election.
- 2023 preliminary results release.
- Electoral Commission: official 2023 results.
- Te Ara: parties in Parliament 1999–2023.
This guide is general information about New Zealand elections, checked against the sources linked above on 4 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
Every MMP election result, 1996 to 2023
Seats won by every party at all ten MMP elections, the largest party's vote, and the government that formed each time, from Bolger and Peters in 1996 to Luxon in 2023.
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.
Overhang seats explained: why Parliament can have more than 120 MPs
New Zealand's Parliament is meant to have 120 seats, but in 2023 it had 122, then 123. Here's how overhang works, every time it's happened, and why it moves the majority line.