Electorate boundaries finalised
The Representation Commission has released the final electorate boundaries and names for the next general election.
Existing electorate boundaries have been maintained where possible. Nineteen electorates are unchanged, and the boundaries of 49 general and three Māori electorates have been adjusted.
The main areas of change are in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Christchurch, and the lower North Island where electorate boundaries have been reconfigured to include one fewer electorate.
“Most of the boundary changes were signalled in the proposed electorates report published in March 2025, but we have made some amendments to those proposals following public consultation,” says Judge Kevin Kelly, Chair of the Representation Commission.
There were 717 written submissions on the proposed boundaries and public hearings were held in June.
“We were heartened that so many people took an active interest in this important work. The many public contributions were invaluable,” says Judge Kelly.
Amendments include the following, from north to south.
- An area around Balmoral remains in Epsom rather than being moved to Mt Albert. Part of Arch Hill is moved from Auckland Central to Mt Albert.
- An area south of Tauranga city in the lower Kaimai Range no longer shifts into Rotorua and instead remains within Tauranga. There are related minor changes to the boundaries between Mt Maunganui and Rotorua.
- Proposed boundary changes north of Gisborne will no longer proceed. Instead, Napier gains several rural areas from Tukituki.
- Redwood remains with Christchurch Central, and instead Christchurch East gains an area from Christchurch Central in Linwood and Phillipstown.
- In the Māori electorates, the boundary change between Te Tai Tonga and Ikaroa-Rāwhiti is confirmed and a minor technical adjustment is made to the boundary between Te Tai Tonga and Te Tai Hauāuru.
As a result of submissions, there are four more electorate name changes. The proposed electorate name Rānui becomes Henderson. East Coast becomes East Cape, Wellington Central becomes Wellington North, and Rongotai becomes Wellington Bays.
“We received considerable feedback from the residents of Ashhurst on the proposal to include it within Wairarapa instead of Palmerston North or Rangitīkei. We looked at options to avoid this change, but it was not possible without making major changes to surrounding electorates throughout the lower and central North Island.
“Overall, we consider we have struck the appropriate balance so that each electorate has about the same number of people as is required of us under the Electoral Act,” says Judge Kelly.
The final electorate boundaries and names will be used for the next general election. Any by-elections held before that election will be conducted using the 2020 electorate boundaries.
A summary of the main changes follows. The Representation Commission’s full report and maps of the final boundaries are available at vote.nz/boundary-review.