Henderson electorate reform

Auckland's new Henderson electorate covers Henderson, Rānui, Swanson, Lincoln, Massey, Western Heights, and parts of Te Atatū and Upper Harbour.

Low youth voter registration

Just 56 percent of those aged 18 to 24 years old are enrolled to vote in the electorate, compared to 62 percent nationally.

Young people's concerns

Young people cite unemployment and cost of living as top issues ahead of the 2026 election.

Unemployment struggles

Many young people report difficulty finding jobs in Auckland, with some losing employment or unable to secure work.

“To be honest, employment, it's like, really hard to find a job. I was lucky, you know. I managed to get a job with the Defence Force, but not everybody's this lucky, so [there's] heaps of unemployed. A lot of my mates as well, some lost their jobs, some can't even get a job.”

Cost of living pressures

Students report skyrocketing costs for groceries and gas making daily life a struggle.

“I'm poor each day. It's just a struggle to get by each week ... I'm a student. With gas and just especially groceries, everything's pretty much skyrocketing.”

Voter engagement challenges

Young people say politicians are failing to engage with them, with many feeling voting is overwhelming.

“At least if it was just talked about more because I think [for] a lot of people it's just really overwhelming or a really daunting thing to like get into.”