The latest 1News Verian poll is released tonight, three months out from election day.
The last poll, on May 25, suggested National and ACT would be in a position to win the election, with 47 and 15 seats apiece - a total of 62 seats. Sixty-one seats are required to secure power.
In that poll Labour secured 46 seats, the Greens nine seats and Te Pāti Māori three seats - a total of 58 seats, and not enough to form a government.
The poll showed voters remained unsure whether Christopher Luxon is the best man for the top job, with only 18% selecting him as their preferred prime minister, to Chris Hipkins’ 25%.
The May 25 poll also saw the Green Party take a hit, dropping from 11% in the March 1News Kantar Public poll - as the Verian poll was previously named - to 7%.
Te Pāti Māori’s party vote support also dropped slightly in the May poll, from 2.6% to 2.4%.
Tonight’s poll was taken from eligible voters between July 8 and July 12.
The lead up to the polling period included National’s June 18 announcement it would make gang membership an aggravating factor in sentencing, Labour announcing a market study on banking competition on June 20 and Michael Wood resigning as a minister on June 21.
It also followed Justice Minister Kiri Allan facing questions over “working relationships” with her in her office, and the Privileges Committee finding Education Minister Jan Tinetti had misled Parliament by not correcting incorrect statements in Parliament as soon as she could, but not deliberately.
The poll followed Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ trade delegation to China and coincided with his trip to Europe to sign a free trade deal with the EU.
The official election period - the regulated period for election advertising expenses - begins three months before election day.
This year’s election day is October 14, although as in previous years advance voting will be available and will begin on October 2.
Details of tonight's poll will be revealed tonight on 1News at 6pm and on the 1News.co.nz website.
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