The final 1News Leaders' Debate is on tonight — the last showdown between Labour's Chris Hipkins and National's Christopher Luxon before election day.
It comes around 48 hours before the polls close. Tonight's Final Leaders' Debate between Hipkins and Luxon will be live from 7pm on 1News.co.nz and TVNZ 1.
Moderated by 1News Political Editor Jessica Mutch McKay, voters will get their last chance to watch the leaders of the country's two main parties going head-to-head.
Unlike the past leaders' debates, tonight's will only be 60 minutes long.
The final debate will be a crucial opportunity for Hipkins and Luxon to sway undecided voters and motivate their supporters.
Polls appear to show a narrowing race in the past few days, but with National and Winston Peters' New Zealand First in pole position to form a government.
The gap between the right and left blocs is narrowing, according to the last 1News Verian poll before the election. (Source: 1News)
In recent days, Hipkins has said he believes there is growing "momentum" for Labour and that he will be able to heavily sway Kiwis who haven't yet decided how they'll vote.
The stakes for both leaders during this debate will be high.
Nearly 1 million people have already cast advance votes in the general election.
Last night's 1News Verian poll suggested National and ACT could command 58 seats in Parliament, while Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Māori commanded 54 — assuming Rawiri Waititi wins the Waiariki electorate.
New Zealand First and Winston Peters would be in the middle with eight seats.
There are mixed fortunes for the minor parties, with the Greens enjoying their highest support for more than six years. (Source: 1News)
TVNZ has hosted five live election debates during the election campaign.
All of them can be watched on TVNZ+
Stay tuned for TVNZ's Election Night Special
The 1News team will bring you all the details as they unfold this Saturday.
Deputy Political Editor Maiki Sherman, Senior Political Reporter Benedict Collins, Pacific Affairs Correspondent Barbara Dreaver, Business Correspondent Katie Bradford, Te Karere Political Reporter Te Okiwa Mclean and Māori Affairs Correspondent Te Aniwa Hurihanganui will be reporting live from across the motu, interviewing political winners and losers as events unfold.
In the studio will be Chief Correspondent John Campbell, Political Editor Jessica Mutch McKay and Q+A presenter Jack Tame providing up-to-the-minute coverage and in-depth analysis.
Former politicians and pundits from across the political spectrum will also be there to react as the results come in.
1News Your Vote 23 Election Night Special will air from 7pm on TVNZ 1, TVNZ+, 1News.co.nz and across 1News social channels.
1News.co.nz will also have live election results throughout the night, allowing viewers to track the national picture and the outcome in their electorate as it happens. This will be accompanied by extensive analysis.
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