Election night saw young women cement themselves into the political scene, including the youngest female MP the country has ever seen.
The youngest MP in 170 years is Te Pāti Māori's Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, aged 21, who won the Hauraki-Waikato electorate.
"To see young Māori wahine is so inspirational," she said.
She is joined by the Green Party MPs Chlöe Swarbrick, 29, and Tamatha Paul, 26, who won the Auckland Central and Wellington Central electorates, respectively.
The place won by Paul was traditionally a safe Labour Wellington Central seat.
"It has been held [by Labour] for a long time – since before I was born, I think," she said.
Brooke van Velden, who celebrated her 31st birthday yesterday, won the Tamaki electorate but said that for her, "it doesn't really matter what my age or my gender is, I'm here for good public policy".
Votes are still being counted in Te Atatu, but National's Angee Nicholas, 29, could take the win – meaning another young woman representing her suburb.
Lara Greaves, a researcher from Victoria University, says young women are determined to change a system traditionally represented by men.
"For wāhine Māori in particular, about half of the Māori population is under 25 so it makes sense that we would have representatives that were under 25," Greaves said, referring to Maipi-Clarke.
Greaves said that as a political scientist, she is always wanting young people to be involved in politics.
"Having people in the halls of power that look like young people are more likely to get them to vote and to participate," she said.
Maipi-Clarke said she believes this election will see the largest rangatahi (young people) voter turnout so far.
SHARE ME