February 16, 2026

#election2026: Waatea’s #QuestionOfTheDay: Election Winds Stir Across Our Audience

Matthew Tukaki Posted On February 16, 2026

As the country edges closer to the next General Election, Radio Waatea put a simple but powerful question to its audience:

#QuestionOfTheDay: Who will you vote for in the coming election?

The response? Loud. Passionate. And very, very engaged.

The question generated:

571 comments across Waatea’s platforms
33,059 people engaged with the post
64% of those engaging were aged 35-54
The majority of respondents were women

For context, Radio Waatea remains New Zealand’s largest Māori radio station, with nearly 116,000 followers on Facebook, around 145,000 on TikTok, and close to one million hits per month on waateanews.com. This kind of engagement reflects a politically aware and active audience – particularly within the 35–54 age bracket. Of the 571 comments that clearly indicated a party preference, the breakdown was as follows:

Labour – 218
New Zealand First – 92
Greens – 81
Te Pāti Māori (TPM) – 71
National – 34
ACT – 7
The remainder were categorised as unaligned or undecided

It is important to stress:

This is not a scientific poll.

It is anecdotal and reflects engagement from Waatea’s online community only.

But what it does show is mood – and mood matters.

The kōrero reflected strategic thinking, frustration, loyalty, and indecision.

One commenter urged unity across the left:

“Interesting Labour Greens Pati Maori worked together in Palmy for local elections for the referendum so work together for the general election but be strategic and start now.
Mahi tahi kotahitanga. Giving my party vote to Greens.”

Another voter offered a more nuanced view:

“My electorate vote goes to my excellent Nelson MP, Rachel Boyack. Party vote undecided at this point, apart from ACT and NZ First being completely out of contention. Probably National too. If today it would be Labour, but I’m also following Opportunities with interest. The Greens, who I party voted for over several elections, need to sort their internals out before they’re back in contention.”

Others were more blunt:

“Who will I NOT vote for is obvious – a right bloc(head) party. Which party in the left bloc is not so obvious, but starting to like the shade of green.”

And some expressed fatigue:

“Very slim pickings if you ask me.”

“Still undecided, it won’t be any right side parties or candidates though. Hellsakes, I’m still undecided whether I should switch rolls.”

Several themes stand out:

A clear appetite for change in Government among many respondents.
Labour currently holds the strongest support among those who declared a preference.
New Zealand First retains notable backing within Waatea’s audience.
A significant number remain undecided – particularly on party vote.
Strategic voting conversations are already happening.

The strong engagement among women aged 35–54 also suggests this demographic will be critical in shaping political narratives within Waatea’s community.

Again, this exercise does not purport to be a poll. It is a snapshot of engagement from a highly active Māori media audience.

In the lead-up to the election, Radio Waatea will be:

Taking a closer look at the Māori electorates
Tracking shifts in mood and party support
Repeating this question bi-monthly to monitor trends

The numbers may shift. The sentiment may sharpen. But one thing is clear: Waatea’s audience is politically engaged, thinking strategically, and watching closely.

And as the campaign trail heats up, so too will the kōrero.

Stay tuned.