NZ First to campaign on ending voting rights for permanent residents

Sunday, 5 July 2026

New Zealand First would seek to change the law so that only New Zealand citizens can vote in general and local elections if returned to government.

The policy would end the current right of permanent residents who have lived in New Zealand for at least one year to vote in elections.

Leader Winston Peters argued that deciding the country's future should be the privilege of those who have sworn allegiance to New Zealand.

New Zealand First would seek to change the law so that only New Zealand citizens can vote in general and local elections if returned to government, leader Winston Peters has announced.

Speaking at a campaign meeting in Warkworth on Sunday, Peters said the party would end voting rights for permanent residents, arguing that deciding New Zealand’s future should be “the privilege of those who have sworn allegiance to New Zealand”.

Under current law, permanent residents who have lived in New Zealand for at least one year can vote in parliamentary and local elections.

Peters said NZ First believed citizenship should be the requirement for voting because it represented “the formal bond of allegiance, belonging, responsibility, and democratic authority”.

“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?” he said.

The voting proposal was one of several policies highlighted during the speech, which Peters used to position NZ First as the “voice of common sense” ahead of the election.

He also reaffirmed previously announced policies to break up the electricity sector and supermarket duopoly, establish a new state-owned bank, withdraw New Zealand from the Paris climate agreement, and abolish Auckland Council’s Independent Māori Statutory Board.

Peters devoted much of his speech to attacking what he described as “woke” ideology, saying NZ First would continue pursuing policies including defining “man” and “woman” in law, opposing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and ending what he called “separatism” and co-governance.

He also criticised mainstream media, accusing journalists of failing to fairly report the party’s policies and claiming NZ First was attracting growing support at public meetings around the country.

Peters urged supporters to back NZ First at the election, saying the party had delivered on promises made in 2023 and arguing another term was needed to continue its agenda.