Election 2026: Winston Peters announces citizens-only voting policy

New Zealand First will campaign on updating New Zealand’s electoral laws so that only citizens can vote.

Winston Peters announced the policy at a campaign meeting in Warkworth today, promising that if returned to Parliament his party would move to reform voting rights.

Current electoral law allows some non-citizens to vote after 12 months’ continuous residence if they are lawfully in New Zealand and not required to leave by a specified date.

In his speech to attendees, Peters argued the existing standard was far too lenient.

“Voting in our country should be a privilege of those who have sworn allegiance to New Zealand and who have made the commitment to make New Zealand their home and their future,” Peters said.

“If you haven’t made that commitment or sworn that allegiance, we are happy to let you live here permanently, but why should you get a say in how this country is run or governed?”

Peters said NZ First believed citizenship should be the baseline for voting rights, arguing the current rules weakened democratic accountability.

“Voting in general elections should be reserved for those who have made the full legal and civic commitment to this country,” he said.

“Permanent residence gives people the right to live, work, study, and build a life in New Zealand.

“Citizenship is different. Citizenship is the formal bond of allegiance, belonging, responsibility, and democratic authority.

“New Zealand First believes that distinction should matter again.”

The announcement was a key part of Peters’ wider speech to supporters and members of the public who packed into Warkworth Town Hall this afternoon.

Peters listed what he described as NZ First’s legislative wins this term and set out the party’s priorities ahead of the November 7 election.

He reconfirmed his party’s plans to campaign on breaking up the electricity and supermarket sectors, buying back the previously state-owned Bank of New Zealand, exiting the Paris climate agreement, and dissolving Auckland’s Independent Māori Statutory Board.

He also spent a portion of his speech criticising “woke” ideology, saying that NZ First would continue its work on policies such as legally defining gender, opposing diversity initiatives, and dismantling co-governance efforts.

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