National has complained to the Electoral Commission about a campaign urging centre-right voters to split their votes – saying it tried to confuse voters days out from the election.
The strategy had been approved – in part at least – by coalition partners ACT and New Zealand First.
Businessman Harry Mowbray’s Split Your Vote campaign encouraged voters to give their electorate vote to National and their party vote to ACT or New Zealand First.
Follow today's developments live here
In a statement to 1News, a National Party spokesperson said the campaign was a “deliberate attempt” to confuse voters in an already tight election.
“This particular campaign did not comply with the election rules everyone has to operate under. We referred it to the Electoral Commission, but we doubt we were the only ones,” the spokesperson said.
“The reality is very simple. If you want a National Government you need to make sure National is bigger than Labour. The only way to do that is to party vote National.”
Party votes are up for grabs as electors get mixed messages on being strategic with their selections. (Source: 1News)
National’s coalition partners, however, both signed off on advertising promoting the tactic.
Speaking in Christchurch, ACT leader David Seymour confirmed his party had given permission for an advertisement linked to the campaign.
“We don’t necessarily have a strong view on the ad, but they asked us permission and we said okay, well, if that’s what you want to do, we’ll give you permission.”
A New Zealand First spokesperson said the party approved a separate ad by Reality Check Radio, published in the New Zealand Herald, that promoted the same overhang strategy.
The spokesperson said the broadcaster asked for permission because the ad was “encouraging a party vote for New Zealand First”.
“We had no involvement in the creation of the advertisement but did give approval,” the spokesperson said.
“We welcome any third party who wants to promote the message that a party vote for New Zealand First is essential for a centre right government returning.”
Democracy a 'muscle to be exercised' – Luxon
National leader Christopher Luxon took a softer line when asked about the strategy today.
“I’m just making it very simple to New Zealanders. New Zealanders decide what happens. It’s up to citizens in a democracy to determine how they vote,” Luxon said.
“Democracy is a special thing, it’s a precious thing, it’s a muscle that needs to be exercised.”
National has reason to be wary. The 1News Verian poll, which has been tracking how voters may change their party vote since the last election, found National had lost support to almost every other party, with the largest shift, 3.5%, going to ACT.
A successful vote split could also cost National seats. If the party wins electorates but loses party votes, some National list MPs such as Nicola Willis, and those in marginal seats such as Chris Bishop, could find themselves out of Parliament.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins, campaigning in Dunedin, said he thought centre-right voters would regret splitting their votes.
“For New Zealanders that would mean a hangover strategy on the 8th of November. They would wake up with a whopping hangover in a government that they didn’t vote for.”
The Electoral Commission confirmed earlier today it was investigating advertising associated with Mowbray’s campaign, and whether it had been properly authorised.
Mowbray’s website, splityourvote.co.nz, has since been taken offline. Earlier this week, the entrepreneur said splitting votes would give the centre-right bloc a better chance of winning the election.
Speaking to RNZ’s Midday Report today, Mowbray said he had made the “assumption” that National was behind the complaint.
“I didn’t realise having the website was going to get classified as a promotion, because it’s in my name. You’re allowed to say pretty much anything you like as an individual... that’s what I was doing,” he said.
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