# Young Aucklanders feel vote disenfranchised

> Auckland's new Henderson electorate faces low youth voter turnout as unemployment and cost of living concerns grow.
- Title: Young Aucklanders feel vote disenfranchised · RNZ | Shortify
- Summary: Auckland's new Henderson electorate faces low youth voter turnout as unemployment and cost of living concerns grow. Young Aucklanders in Henderson's new…
- Keywords: auckland, henderson electorate, youth voter registration, unemployment, cost of living, electoral commission, new zealand election, politics, news, Young, Aucklanders, feel
- Source: RNZ — https://rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1811435/young-people-in-auckland-s-new-henderson-electorate-feeling-disenfranchised
- Author: RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
- Published: 2026-10-09T04:38:20+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: auckland, henderson electorate, youth voter registration, unemployment, cost of living, electoral commission, new zealand election, politics, news
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Young Aucklanders in Henderson's new electorate report low voter registration due to unemployment and cost of living pressures.