Watching the NZ election from overseas: times, streams and live results
Results start at 7pm NZ time on 7 November 2026. Here's what time that is in Australia, the UK, the US and Asia, and how to follow the count from abroad when TV is geo-blocked.
In this guide
More than half a million New Zealanders live overseas, plenty of them in Australia and the UK. If you're one of them, election night arrives at an odd hour, and some TV streams won't play. Here's how to follow it anyway.
Quick answer
- NZ polls close at 7pm NZDT on Saturday 7 November, which is 6am UTC.
- That's 5pm Saturday in Sydney, 6am Saturday in London and 1am Saturday in New York.
- First results arrive about 30 minutes later.
- Our live results page and radio streams work anywhere. Some TV streams are geo-blocked.
Election night in your time zone
| City | Polls close | First results | Most votes in (11:30pm NZ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney, Melbourne | 5pm Sat | 5:30pm Sat | 9:30pm Sat |
| Brisbane | 4pm Sat | 4:30pm Sat | 8:30pm Sat |
| Perth | 2pm Sat | 2:30pm Sat | 6:30pm Sat |
| Singapore, Hong Kong | 2pm Sat | 2:30pm Sat | 6:30pm Sat |
| Tokyo | 3pm Sat | 3:30pm Sat | 7:30pm Sat |
| London | 6am Sat | 6:30am Sat | 10:30am Sat |
| New York, Toronto | 1am Sat | 1:30am Sat | 5:30am Sat |
| Los Angeles, Vancouver | 10pm Fri | 10:30pm Fri | 2:30am Sat |
Times use NZ Daylight Time and the northern hemisphere's winter time, which started in early November.
What works overseas
- Live results. Our live results page and the official electionresults.govt.nz work from anywhere.
- Radio. RNZ's Election Night Special runs 7pm to midnight NZ time on rnz.co.nz and RNZ's YouTube channel. Radio streams are usually available overseas.
- Live blogs. Newsroom live blogs work anywhere. See our Coverage section.
- TV streams. TVNZ+ and ThreeNow may be geo-blocked outside New Zealand. Check our Watch section on the night.
Haven't voted yet?
If you're eligible to vote from overseas, your voting papers must be uploaded by 7pm NZ time on 7 November, the same moment polls close at home. See voting from overseas for the rules and steps.
Overseas votes and the result
Votes from overseas are special votes, counted after election night and included in the official result on 27 November. They can arrive up to 10 days after election day.
Special votes keep growing
- 2017446,287
- 2020504,621
- 2023603,257
- 2026~700,000
Questions and answers
What time is the NZ election in Australia?
Polls close at 5pm Saturday 7 November in Sydney and Melbourne, 4pm in Brisbane and 2pm in Perth. Results start about half an hour later.
What time is the NZ election in the UK?
Polls close at 6am Saturday 7 November in London, with first results around 6:30am.
Can I watch NZ election coverage from overseas?
Live results and radio streams work anywhere. Some NZ TV streams are geo-blocked overseas.
Are overseas votes counted on election night?
No. They're special votes, counted for the official result on 27 November.
Sources
- Electoral Commission and vote.nz/overseas.
- Broadcaster schedules, collected in our Watch section.
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
How to follow NZ election night 2026: live updates, TV, streams and radio
Every way to follow election night on Saturday 7 November: TV specials, free streams, radio, live blogs and live results, plus a simple plan for the night.
Voting from overseas in the 2026 NZ election: who can, how, and by when
New Zealanders abroad can vote in the 2026 election if they meet the residence rules. Here's who's eligible, how to download and upload voting papers, and the deadline.
What time do NZ election results come out? Election night 2026, hour by hour
An hour-by-hour guide to election night on Saturday 7 November 2026: when voting closes, when the first results land, when most votes are counted and when it's final.