Election 2026: How can we stop overhangs stealing an election? – Nick Clark

Opinion byNick ClarkNZ Herald·14 Oct, 2026 08:00 PM5 mins to readNick Clark is a Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, focusing on local government, resource management, and economic policy.Overhangs can swell Parliament beyond its usual 120 seats. Photo / Getty ImagesBusinesses need confidence in how governments are chosen and the policies they pursue. That makes an obscure MMP feature worth our attention.Te Pāti Māori wants supporters to vote for its candidates in the Māori electorates but give their party votes to the Greens or Labour. On the right, Don